NHS trust put 'under pressure' by winter problems

A hospital boss said it is "under a lot of pressure" as it deals with hundreds of people reporting to its emergency department every day.

Steve McManus, the chief executive of the Royal Berkshire NHS Trust, said 483 people attended for emergency treatment at Reading's Royal Berkshire Hospital (RBH) on Monday.

McManus said seasonal viruses, cold weather exacerbating existing health problems for some and people being injured in slippery conditions was increasing demand for help.

"[On Tuesday] we started with around 30 patients who needed admitting into the hospital from the emergency department who were not able to get into hospital beds and we are working through that," he added.

"Absolutely, if you need emergency treatment we are here and we are serving ambulances and looking to get patients into the emergency department as soon as we can," McManus said.

He said the number of people presenting at the RBH with seasonal flu has been "steadily reducing over recent days, which is a positive sign".

McManus added: "The overall picture is that the hospital is still under a significant amount of pressure and that the staff are working really hard to make sure that we are able to support patients safely during this time."

People can also get treatment at the hospital's urgent care centre.

A yellow ice warning for most of England and Wales is valid from midnight to until 10:00 GMT on Wednesday.