Hospital declares critical incident with beds full
Getty ImagesA critical incident has been declared at a Kent hospital which says it is dealing with exceptionally high numbers of patients needing care.
East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust said the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford had patients with winter illnesses and respiratory viruses, and beds across all its sites were full, with the number of people going to the emergency department "extremely high".
The trust warns it has "limited capacity" to admit further patients who need urgent hospital care.
It has urged people to attend A&E only for life-threatening illnesses or injuries, while families are being asked to collect relatives who are ready for discharge as soon as possible in order to free up beds.
Chief nursing and midwifery officer, Sarah Hayes, said teams were working incredibly hard in busy conditions.
"The pressure on our urgent and emergency services remains extremely high, and we are focused on supporting patients who need us most," she said.
Under critical incident procedures, teams are prioritising the safe discharge of patients who no longer need hospital care and working to reduce avoidable admissions.
'Extremely long waits'
Hayes said declaring a critical incident allowed the trust to draw on additional support across the health system.
The trust is warning people with non-life-threatening conditions may face extremely long waits at emergency departments.
People are being asked to use NHS 111, their GP, pharmacy or an urgent treatment centre.
Planned procedures and appointments are being reviewed, but patients are being told they should assume they are going ahead unless contacted, the trust says.
People with winter viruses are being advised to stay at home, rest, drink fluids, and use over-the-counter medications such as paracetamol or ibuprofen to manage symptoms.
Anyone needing urgent care should continue to come forward, using 999 for life-threatening emergencies and NHS 111 for other urgent care, the NHS advises.
The trust runs hospitals in Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone and Margate.
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