‘Extreme pressure’ warning issued by another hospital as face masks brought back across the UK

ANOTHER UK hospital is pleading with patients to only attend its A&E department if absolutely necessary.

In recent weeks hospitals across the nation have been experiencing increasing pressure with rising rates of winter illnesses – and several UK hospitals have even brought back Covid-style restrictions.

Hospitals have been facing exceptionally high demand due to an influx of flu, Covid, norovirus, and RSV cases.

At the end of last week, patients and visitors across South Wales were told to wear masks to stop the spread of infection.

Cardiff and Vale health board said masks would be required in all of its assessment, emergency and waiting areas, and by staff in all clinical areas, “in light of rising cases of flu in the community and across our hospital sites”.

And now the emergency department at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff is the latest in a string of hospitals to announce it’s facing “extreme pressure”.

According to a statement made by the Cardiff and Vale health board shortly after 4pm on Sunday 19th December, the hospital is “extremely busy which is resulting in longer waiting times for treatment”.

In an online video shared by the health board, emergency medicine consultant Dr Clare Davies said: “This is a message to say that today unfortunately we are under extreme pressure in the emergency unit. We have had lots of people come to see us and a lot of those people have been really poorly and needed a lot of attention.

“This is a message to ask for your help and support in keeping the emergency unit safe for people who really need to be here.

“If you have a minor injury, the minor injuries unit in Barry can offer you a fast and comprehensive service to get that seen and sorted. Community pharmacies are able to be accessed all day.

“They often subscribe to the common ailments scheme and can provide you with medication for common ailments free of charge. If you are not sure whether the problem you’ve got needs A&E, ring NHS 111.

“An advisor will talk to you, assess you and tell you whether to come to see us or use another service.

“Bear in mind that if you do come to A&E today you may have a longer wait than we would like to offer to be seen by a doctor or nurse.

“There is a possibility that if we feel you would be better served by another service in the community, we will redirect you to that service.”

Many hospitals declared ‘critical incident’ in the lead up to Christmas due to high volumes of patients and not enough beds.

Royal Stoke University Hospital declared its eighth critical incident of the year due to “increasing pressure” in A&E departments.

On Thursday 19th December, patients turning up at A&E were expected to wait over four hours to be seen.

Visiting on two hospital wards at Noble’s Hospital in the Isle of Man was suspended due to a “significant increase” in norovirus cases.

And The Royal Hampshire County Hospital and Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital declared critical incidents, with Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust saying there was “no capacity to admit further patients needing our care”.

Visiting has now been reinstated at Noble’s Hospital and the critical incident status at Royal Stoke University Hospital and the Hampshire hospitals has since been stood down.

What’s causing the hospital pressure?

Winter pressure on the NHS has been building due to the winter illnesses circulating.

Flu cases in hospital have already surpassed last year’s peak.

Figures published by NHS England the week before Christmas showed one in 18 hospital beds are being taken up by patients with a festive bug, with 2,504 beds alone being taken up by flu patients.

This was an increase of almost 40 per cent on the week before (1,795).

Cases of norovirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have also been high, with 711 beds taken up by norovirus patients – almost a quarter more than last year – and 127 children in hospital with RSV each day in the week before Christmas – a quarter more children compared to the same period last year.