Hospital plea to avoid A&E amid norovirus surge

A hospital emergency department is "very busy" as staff care for several patients with norovirus, an NHS trust has said.

People have been asked only to visit A&E at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill for life-threatening illnesses or injuries.

In a statement, Surrey & Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust urged people not to attend the hospital if they have had diarrhoea or vomiting in the past 48 hours.

Those in need of urgent care can use the Urgent Treatment Centre at Crawley Hospital or minor injuries units at Caterham Dene, Horsham Hospital and Queen Victoria Hospital, or contact their GP, a pharmacy or the NHS 111 service, the trust added.

The trust said visiting remained open, except for wards with infection control restrictions, with people advised to call ahead.

Anyone with symptoms of respiratory conditions, including Covid-19 and flu, is urged not to visit unless they are a patient with a booked appointment, which they should still attend.

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