PA MediaPatients in the Accident and Emergency Unit at Royal Liverpool University Hospital are having to wait up to 50 hours.
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust declared a “critical incident” due to “exceptionally high demand” for services and urged people to only go to A&E in cases of a true medical emergency.
The hospital said it was “extremely busy” with rising numbers of patients with flu and other respiratory illnesses, prompting Liverpool Riverside Labor MP Kim Johnson to call on the government to offer immediately a plan to increase funding for the NHS.
Critical incidents were also reported in the East Midlands, Devon and Cornwall.
- THE East Midlands Ambulance Service – which covers Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire – declared the first critical incident in its history due to a combination of “significant patient demand, pressure within hospitals and floods”.
- Health officials have asked people suffering from flu, Covid, norovirus or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) to stay away from the Royal Cornwall Hospital A&E Department in Truro
- An influx of patients at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, Devon, also caused a critical incident.
A spokesperson for Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said emergency measures had been put in place which would allow managers to seek additional help and make changes to ensure patient safety.
He explained that the critical incident was declared due to “the exceptionally high demands placed on our emergency department, particularly with regard to influenza and respiratory illnesses, as well as the number of patients.”
The decision was made “to support the safe care and treatment of our patients, which is our top priority,” he said.
The trust said officials were working with partners to ensure those who are medically fit can leave hospital safely and as soon as possible.
“Increase in flu cases”
The trust’s spokesperson said staff were “working incredibly hard” to treat people as quickly as possible, but warned that some patients would “experience longer waits while we treat our sickest patients”.
Non-urgent patients are advised to use other services, such as a GP, local pharmacy or walk-in centre.
“We have seen increasing numbers of people with flu and respiratory illnesses in our emergency departments in recent weeks,” the spokesperson said.
For people going to the emergency room, they asked patients and visitors to follow additional infection control measures to help curb the spread of the flu and norovirus.
“This includes practicing good hand hygiene, visiting only necessary areas in our hospitals and wearing masks in clinical areas if asked,” the spokesperson said.
“From cradle to grave”
Johnson said the news highlights “the critical challenges facing our NHS, particularly the current staffing and capacity crises”.
“Labor must immediately implement a comprehensive plan to increase funding for the NHS, recruit and retain healthcare professionals, and invest in social care to facilitate rapid discharge of patients from our hospitals.
“Our focus must be on ensuring hospitals like the Royal Liverpool are equipped to provide the high-quality care patients deserve, without the potentially life-threatening delays they currently face.”
She added that Liverpool Riverside was “the most deprived constituency in England”, where poverty remains a significant driver of health inequalities.
“Tackling the root of poverty is essential to creating better health opportunities, reducing pressure on A&E services and improving life in Liverpool,” she said.
She thanked NHS staff for their dedication “under immense pressure in these difficult times”, adding that “Labour must support them in rebuilding a sustainable and resilient health service for all, from cradle to grave”.
