The NHS Trust of Portsmouth University Hospital said that “increasingly difficult staffing as a result of illness” led the trust to declare a critical incident. They said in a statement: “Our beds are full and the Emergency Department remains full of patients in need of admission. “We have limited space for the treatment of emergency patients and we are only able to treat patients with life-threatening conditions and injuries. “Please do not attend the ED unless it is an emergency.” They added that non-emergency attendances would not be seen and would be redirected to the Emergency Treatment Centers at St Mary’s Hospital, Gosport and Petersfield. The move comes hours after a major ambulance company declared a “critical incident” due to “extreme pressure” on its services. South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS), which operates in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Hampshire, said its staff continues to “work extremely hard” to manage the situation. A critical incident is usually reported when an organization’s services are interrupted so much that they are no longer able to function properly, which means that special requirements must be applied. Read more: The NHS team in Norfolk declares a critical incident after being “under unprecedented pressure” Announcing the situation in the early hours of Wednesday morning, the trust said: “SCAS declared a critical incident tonight due to the extreme pressures on our services. “Our staff is working extremely hard to respond to calls and manage the situation and we continue to prioritize these patients with life-threatening injuries and illnesses.” She added that she is now able to focus her resources only on “those patients who are most in need” and the situation “communicated the pressures” she is receiving. What to do if you need an ambulance? People in need of emergency care have been informed they could be instructed to arrive at the hospital for treatment, the South Central Ambulance Service said. On Twitter, the trust added: “If your situation is not life threatening or a serious emergency, then we will discuss your needs and give you advice.” He also urged patients to support her services “wisely” and to use NHS 111 where “this is possible and appropriate”. Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 3:08 In January, dozens were waiting for A&E beds Those who are in a life-threatening situation or in a serious emergency should call 999. Yesterday, six hospitals across West Yorkshire and Harrogate warned of long A&E waiting times, with some patients waiting up to 12 hours for treatment. The West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), the official name of the trusts, also urged people to attend A&E classes only in “real, life-threatening situations.” COVID incidence rates in England are at an all-time high It comes as the prevalence of COVID-19 across the UK reaches an all-time high and experts warn that there could be an increase in the number of hospital admissions. The results of the final impact study React-1 from Imperial College London found that the two variants of Omicron – BA.1 and BA.2 – caused double peaks in the pandemic – one in January and another in March. Follow the Daily Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker It also showed that about one in 16 people became infected between March 8 and 31 and the highest rates of infection were in primary school children and children over 55. According to the study, “high and increasing prevalence in older adults may increase hospitalizations and deaths despite high vaccination rates.” On Monday, nine additional symptoms of COVID were added to the NHS official list, including headaches, diarrhea and a stuffy nose.
