Winter pressure is tough challenge, NHS staff say

Hospital staff have spoken of the "intense" challenge they continue to face during the busy winter period.

NHS workers at Haywood Community Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent said they were typically seeing more than 270 patients on a busy day during the colder months.

Wendy Colclough, a nurse consultant clinical lead at the site's walk-in centre, said looking after staff members' wellbeing was really important at these times.

"Mentally, the challenge is really, really intense," she told BBC Radio Stoke. The walk-in centre treats minor injuries or illnesses like rashes, ear infections, minor burns and suspected fractures.

"You're constantly decision-making, you're deciding what your treatment plan is, you're looking at drugs to prescribe, you're reviewing your patient and you've got all that risk that sits with you," Colclough added.

Triage nurse Katie Bell said the aim was to triage patients in 15 minutes. There was always an element of pressure to get a patient in through the door, she said.

"I don't want that patient sitting there waiting," she added. "I like to get them in, seen, make sure they're safe and assessed."

She said it was tough to work in the NHS at this time of year because of the increase in patient footfall.

But she added: "I think for us, as a department, we've got a very good team. We just make it work."

Haywood Hospital, which is run by the Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, said the walk-in centre helped to ease pressure on the emergency department at Royal Stoke University Hospital.

The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, which manages the Royal Stoke along with Stafford's County Hospital, declared a critical incident last week due to pressures on its emergency departments.

It was stood down two days later on Friday after the position improved.

A spokesperson said staff were seeing patients attending A&E who would be "better cared for by alternative services" and urged people to use the NHS 111 service.

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