Health officials have urged people not to go to emergency rooms over the New Year weekend unless they have a “life-threatening emergency” as the NHS faces “unprecedented” pressure.
High absenteeism rates and rising flu and Covid cases have led to long waits for ambulances in hospital emergency rooms and reports of patients waiting for 111 calls to be answered within 24 hours, NHS leaders say.
As hospitals collapse due to an influx of patients after Christmas, health officials in England are asking people not to dial 999 or go to the emergency room unless it’s a matter of life or death.
On Wednesday, NHS leaders in Greater Manchester issued an urgent statement about the enormous pressure on services, saying: “Today goes beyond anything we’ve experienced before.”
It comes after hospitals and ambulance services reported critical incidents on Wednesday, including Dorset, Surrey and Sussex, Portsmouth and Nottingham.
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, warned that high flu cases, the impact of last week’s strike and ongoing capacity problems are “putting pressure”.
People traveling to Cornwall to celebrate the New Year have been advised to bring their own first aid supplies after the South West Ambulance Service, which operates in the region, reported a critical incident due to “extreme pressure”.
There have also been reports of patients waiting up to 13 hours for treatment at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport.
A letter to general practitioners from the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Trust warned of overcrowded emergency rooms and patients being treated in corridors and transported on trolleys for “all but the most urgent procedures.”
Practitioners were advised to forego routine care and focus on “immediate daily needs” and patients should be seen in person before admission.
The letter states that patients “would be safer if they could be treated in a familiar home environment.”
Professor Jane Eddleston, Head of Emergency Medicine for Greater Manchester, said: “We urge the people of Greater Manchester to dial 999 or go to the emergency room only if their condition is life threatening.
“The unprecedented emergency room visit, staff illnesses and the increased prevalence of influenza and Covid have led to very long waiting times in emergency rooms and ambulances.”
People were urged to use the NHS 111 online service, call 111, contact their GP or go to their local pharmacist instead of going to the hospital. Although some people have reported waiting 24 hours for an emergency call back.
Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport said its emergency room is “extremely busy” and urged people to consider other options for care for an illness or injury, such as a heart attack. B. family doctor, 111 or pharmacist.
Mr Taylor said I The NHS faced “one of the harshest winters in its history” on Wednesday.
He said: “High flu rates, ongoing problems with delayed layoffs and the devastating effects of union action exacerbate the long-term problems of more than 130,000 NHS job openings, a decade of underinvestment and an election lag.
“This creates pressure in many parts of the country. While these challenges are perhaps most evident in secondary care, it is also true that primary, community, and mental health services are under enormous pressure, and many of the most vulnerable members of our communities rely on these services the most.
NHS Providers interim chief executive Saffron Corderi called the situation “deeply worrisome”.
She said: “We are seeing cases of Covid-19 and influenza in addition to normal winter pressure. Absenteeism among employees is high and exacerbates a serious shortage of staff. “And the strikes have caused further destruction. This pressure is felt throughout the system, in the 911 hospital, psychiatric, community, and emergency. Too often this results in delays for patients.”
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.