Critical incident stood down at hospital trust

The NHS trust that runs Nottingham's two main hospitals has stood down a critical incident but warned its services remain "exceptionally busy".

Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust declared the critical incident on Tuesday after a rise in winter infections and staff sickness led to "severe and sustained pressure" on its emergency department and other wards.

The trust said the emergency department at the Queen's Medical Centre (QMC), which is designed to treat 350 patients a day, was regularly seeing more than 500 patients.

Andrew Hall, chief operating officer, said: "While we are out of the critical incident, we are not out of the woods. Our hospitals remain exceptionally busy."

He added: "I am sorry for the impact that this pressure has had, and continues to have, on our patients, and I want to thank our communities for their ongoing support and understanding.

"I am also grateful to our colleagues across the trust, whose response throughout this critical incident has been remarkable. I want to thank them for all they have done."

In a statement, NUH added that it had stood down its critical incident on Thursday following a reduction in the number of patients waiting in emergency department corridors, a decrease in bed demand, and services including respiratory and cardiology being "in a better position".

The trust has continued to ask for support from the public, including relatives picking up discharged patients as early as possible, and for people to only call 999 or attend the emergency department for serious accidents or life-threatening emergencies.

Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs King's Mill Hospital, also declared a critical incident on Tuesday.

It has yet to announce if it has been stood down.

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