Four hospital trusts have announced critical incidents due to significant and prolonged pressures within their services. The escalation has been attributed to a rise in flu and norovirus cases, coupled with staff absences. NHS Surrey Heartlands noted that harsh weather conditions also prompted more patients to seek medical care.
In Surrey, three trusts – Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, and Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust – have declared critical incidents. Additionally, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust declared a critical incident due to sustained pressures at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.
According to Surrey Heartlands, the critical incidents were declared to ensure safe, high-quality care amid a surge in complex emergency visits and ongoing discharge challenges. Factors contributing to the situation include increased cases of flu and norovirus, heightened staff sickness rates, and a rise in frail patients needing hospital admission due to the recent cold weather.
To manage the mounting pressures, the Surrey Heartlands ICB declared a critical incident to support and coordinate efforts across the acute trusts in Surrey. Dr. Charlotte Canniff, Joint Chief Medical Officer of NHS Surrey Heartlands, highlighted the need for additional measures to maintain safe services and manage the escalating demands.
As a result of the critical incidents, non-urgent operations, treatments, and outpatient appointments may need rescheduling to prioritize patients with urgent clinical needs. The public is urged to attend appointments unless contacted otherwise, with a focus on prioritizing urgent medical cases, including cancer treatments.
Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust emphasized the high influx of patients at their Emergency Department and the challenges in admitting patients to inpatient wards, urging individuals to seek appropriate healthcare services.
The trusts mentioned in the critical incidents run various hospitals across Surrey and Kent, providing essential acute care services to their communities. Despite the challenges faced, essential services remain open for those in need of urgent medical assistance, with a plea for the public to use services appropriately and only visit A&E in emergencies.
