"We are experiencing pressures like never before. "Despite our teams working tirelessly, the demand on our hospitals far exceeds our capacity. "Declaring a critical incident is not a decision we have taken lightly, but it is necessary to protect patient safety. "I am deeply sorry for the poor experience this is causing and ask everyone to treat our staff with kindness as they work through this difficult period to deliver the quality of care that you expect."
"As a result of declaring the critical incident, the trust will now rearrange some elective procedures to create capacity for the sickest patients. All available beds and spaces will be opened and some staff will be redeployed to help alleviate pressures. They will also be working with NHS and local partners to speed up discharges and provide community support."
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust declared a critical incident after rising winter infections and staff sickness produced severe and sustained pressure across the emergency department and wards. The emergency department at Queen's Medical Centre was designed for 350 patients daily but regularly received more than 500, producing unacceptable delays and lengthy waits on corridors. The trust will rearrange some elective procedures, open all available beds and spaces, and redeploy staff to create capacity for the sickest patients. NHS and local partners will be engaged to speed up discharges and provide community support. The trust asked the public to attend the ED only for emergencies and to treat staff with kindness.
Read at www.bbc.com
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