Margate QEQM hospital issues A&E 'stay away' plea

A Kent hospital is asking the public to stay away from A&E unless they have a serious or life-threatening illness or injury.

The Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital (QEQM) in Margate said it had experienced a sudden surge in attendance in the last 24 hours.

People are being asked to go to a pharmacist, GP or minor injuries unit.

QEQM is run by East Kent Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which was put into special measures in September.

It followed a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection which rated QEQM's A&E as inadequate.

The trust said the hospital was currently extremely busy caring for large numbers of people who were seriously ill.

Senior Matron Mike Walker said it was dealing with increased numbers of elderly people who were suffering from dehydration in the hot weather.

The summer was also causing an increase in minor ailments from people visiting the seaside and working in their gardens.

The trust asked the public to carefully consider safe alternatives to A&E in east Kent, particularly at QEQM.

"This will help us to provide the specialist care seriously ill patients need in our emergency departments," said director of operations Jane Ely.

The trust also runs the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford; the Kent and Canterbury in Canterbury; the Buckland in Dover; and the Royal Victoria in Folkestone.