THREE major hospitals have pleaded with patients not to visit A&E unless absolutely necessary.
People were asked to call NHS 111 instead and warned of “extended waits” if they visited emergency departments with less serious conditions – as the hospitals were slammed with “exceptionally high demand”.
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“Services and emergency departments at Royal Glamorgan, Prince Charles and Princess of Wales hospitals are exceptionally busy this week,” the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board in Wales said in an alert to patients.
“The health board is asking for the support of local people to help it manage this high demand.”
It said staff were working hard to treat patients turning up at hospitals requiring urgent and non-urgent care.
“However, with hospital beds already occupied and emergency departments seeing a higher than normal attendance from people seeking care, they are turning to the public for their support,” the health board added.
Read more on winter pressures
The three hospitals in question – the Royal Glamorgan, Prince Charles and Princess of Wales – the are located in Ynysmaerdy, Merthyr Tydfil and Bridgend in Wales.
Their plea comes just days after Basingstoke and Winchester hospitals declared a critical incident over bed shortages, warning there was ” no capacity to admit further patients needing our care”.
The health board covering the three Welsh hospitals warned people visiting A&E that treatment for “the most seriously injured or ill patients” will be prioritised.
“This means that, even if you are there before someone else but have a less serious condition, you will have an extended wait,” it said.
It asked patients with non-urgent health issues to hold off visiting their local emergency department.
Instead people were urged to take a look at the health board’s website for directions to other nearby services that could help, including the minor injuries unit, GPs, pharmacies, and other specialists.
“If you’re unsure what to do, use the NHS 111 Wales symptom checker for advice on where to go for non-urgent problems,” the health board added.
“This can save you an unnecessary trip to a hospital or other NHS service and help you get the care or treatment you need, more quickly.”
People whose loved ones are being discharged from hospital were also asked to be ready to help take them home.
“This could include making sure their home is warm and ready for their return, or picking them up from hospital,” the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board explained.
When to visit A&E
Patients with serious injuries and life threatening emergencies were still urged to visit their local emergency departments.
“Remember, if you have any stroke symptoms, have severe blood loss or have suffered a major trauma, please ring 999 or visit an ED straight away,” the health board stressed.
Symptoms from a stroke – caused by an interruption in blood flow to the brain – include face or arm weakness and speech problems, as well as blurred vision, confusion, dizziness and a severe headache.
Other health emergencies to go to A&E for include signs of a heart attack and seizures.
It comes after weeks of warnings about a “quad-demic” of converging winter illnesses – flu, Covid-19, cold-causing respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and norovirus.
The latest figures from the NHS show that hospitals have been hit by a “flood” of festive infections.
It warned that one in one in 18 hospital beds in England are being taken up by people with flu – this amounts to 2,504 beds in total, an sharp increase from the 1,861 occupied by flu patients in the week before.
When to call NHS 111
Wondering when you should call NHS 111?
NHS 111 is for people needing medical help and advice when they’re not in a life-threatening situation and/or their GP, pharmacy or dental practice is closed.
The service can also be used when support is needed for mental health distress.
It’s run by trained advisers, supported by healthcare professionals, who are available 24/7 and 365 days a year.
They’ll be able to tell you what treatment you’ll need for your issue and make you an appointment with a GP, pharmacist or urgent treatment centre if appropriate.
If your situation is an emergency, call 999.
Hospitals are also seeing a surge in patients with sickness big norovirus and RSV, which can result in serious lung infections.
NHS national medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, said: “The NHS has been hit hard with an early festive flu season, putting increased pressure on staff as they prepare for the long winter ahead of us.
“In response to the flood of flu cases so early in the season, the NHS has been making it as easy as possible for people to get protected with a jab, including vaccination centres in supermarket car parks and football clubs, helping protect almost 29 million people across England – while also opening up more hospital beds.
“As children finish school and friends and families congregate over the Christmas period we expect viruses to continue to spread so if you haven’t got your flu jab and are eligible please come forward, and the public should think twice about seeing loved ones if they are seriously unwell.
“As the busy winter continues, I would remind anyone who needs medical support to continue to use 999 and A&E in an emergency and for everything else, use NHS 111 or 111 online.”
