Ice injuries force hospital unit to shut

A hospital unit has closed its doors to new patients for the day after seeing hundreds of people attend with ice-related injuries.

The minor injuries unit at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital and A&E department at the Northern General Hospital had seen the highest number of patients for several years, a spokesperson for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said.

More than 400 patients had been seen by the early afternoon when an average of 370 people would usually attend in a 24-hour period, they said.

"As a result of this exceptional demand, we have taken the decision to temporarily close the minor injuries unit at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital," the spokesperson added.

Many of the people attending the hospital units had injuries related to the ice, according to the trust.

Patients in need of urgent care for injuries were asked to attend A&E instead, where additional staff had been brought in to manage demand.

"We have put in alternative plans to ensure patients can still get the care they need," the spokesperson said.

"We will prioritise patients based on clinical urgency and whilst our teams are working hard to treat people as quickly as they can, there will inevitably be longer waits for less urgent injuries today."

The minor injuries unit is expected to reopen as usual at 08:00 GMT on Thursday.

Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North