Four NHS trusts declare critical incidents at excessive demand

Four NHS hospital trusts have declared critical incidents on account of “significant ongoing pressure” on their companies.

NHS Surrey Heartlands mentioned the state of affairs has been made worse by rising instances of flu and norovirus, in addition to a rise in workers sickness.

In Surrey, critical incidents have an effect on the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust and Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust.

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust has additionally declared a critical incident on account of “continued pressure” on the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.

NHS Surrey Heartlands mentioned the intense incidents are a results of a rise in complicated attendances at A&E departments and ongoing challenges in discharging sufferers nicely sufficient to depart hospital.

It says current chilly climate has additionally had an influence on companies, with extra weak sufferers requiring hospitalisation.

Dr Charlotte Canniff, joint chief medical officer of NHS Surrey Heartlands, mentioned declaring a critical incident allowed trusts to take extra steps to take care of protected companies for sufferers and “help us cope with the increasing pressures”.

“Unfortunately, this means that local organizations may need to reschedule some non-urgent operations, treatments and outpatient appointments to accommodate those patients with the most urgent clinical need,” she mentioned.

“People should attend appointments unless contacted; cancer and our other most urgent operations will continue to be prioritised.”

In Kent, the belief mentioned its hospitals have been “experiencing exceptionally high demand, driven by sustained high admission rates and large numbers of patients with winter illnesses and respiratory viruses”.

“Beds in our hospitals are currently full and attendances in our emergency departments are very high, meaning our capacity to admit patients who need critical care is very limited,” it mentioned.

“There are too long wait times to get to our emergency departments for non-life-threatening conditions. If you need medical attention, please consider using alternative services.”

Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust runs numerous hospitals, together with Royal Surrey County Hospital, Haslemere Hospital, Milford Hospital, Cranley Village Hospital, Royal Surrey Cancer Center and the Royal Surrey Cancer Center in East Surrey and Ashford.

Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust runs hospitals together with Epsom Hospital, Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton Hospital and Woking Community Hospital.

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust runs hospitals and clinics together with East Surrey Hospital, Horsham Hospital, Dorking Clinic, Horley Health Clinic and Lingfield Clinic.

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust runs numerous hospitals together with Buckland Hospital, Medway Hospital, Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, Victoria Hospital in Deal and William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.