Six hospitals warn people to stay away from emergency departments other than “real, life-threatening situations” The increase in the number of patients in West Yorkshire and Harrogate in North Yorkshire has left some patients waiting up to 12 hours for treatment. The NHS Trusts, which cover an area of more than 2.5 million people, said the current pressures have left them with no choice but to prioritize patients with acute illness or injury. Recent data from A & Es in West Yorkshire show a 14.2% increase in participation compared to the same period last year. Dr Andrew Lockey, an emergency medical consultant at Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax, said it was “really important” that people only come to A&E if they really needed it. “Our hospitals are extremely busy and people have to wait a long time to see them,” he added. “In the last two weeks we have faced enormous challenges with the sharp increase in the number of people attending accidents and emergencies. A critical incident was also reported by the South Central Ambulance Service, covering several counties of origin (Image: Getty / iStockphoto) “This puts extra pressure on our teams that are responsible for treating patients with serious and life-threatening conditions. “If you are not feeling well and are not sure what health care service you need, call NHS 111. ‘A well-trained clinical consultant will direct you to the most appropriate service.’ It comes as South Central Ambulance Service – which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Hampshire – declared a critical incident due to the extreme pressure earlier this morning.
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“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,” he said on Twitter. “Reporting a critical incident means that we are able to focus our resources on those patients who are most in need and communicate the pressure we are putting on our patients and partners in the health care system.” The ambulance service issued a similar request, calling on people to call 999 only in the event of a life-threatening or serious emergency. Contact our news team by emailing us at [email protected] For more stories like this, check out our news page.
