NHS Cornwall is among trusts that have declared critical incidents (Image: Getty)
More hospitals have as they battle high demand due to winter viruses, and – in some areas – the impact of flooding.
South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust is among the latest to make an announcement after the number of people turning up at A&E surged.
The trust said in a statement: “Over the last week attendances at Warwick Hospital’s Emergency Department have been consistently some of the highest we have ever experienced, and this is significantly impacting on the time patients are waiting to be seen.”
Patients were urged to only attend A&E in life-threatening emergiences, and head to a minor injury unit or other service where possible.
The Royal Liverpool University Hospital similarly described “exceptionally high demand” when it announced the move early this week.
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Here’s a list of NHS we know have declared critical incidents:
- Royal Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Derriford Hospital, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
- Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Winchester Hospital, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Northampton General Hospital, University Hospitals of Northamptonshire
- Kettering General Hospital, University Hospitals of Northamptonshire
- Good Hope Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
- Heartlands Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
- Solihull Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
- Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
- Royal Cornwall Hospital, Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust
- Warwick Hospital, South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust
Last week, NHS data revealed the number of people in hospital with flu in England was more than four times the level it was a month ago, with officials warning cases were “rising at a very concerning rate”.
Data being released later this week is expected to show another rise in the number of people admitted to hospital due to flu.
On Wednesday, Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers, said working conditions for staff are “incredibly difficult” owing to inadequate NHS buildings with not enough room for patients.
She told Radio 4’s Today programme the NHS is under pressure and flu is 246% higher than last year.
She said: “What we’re also seeing is this challenge of flow of patients through the system and increasing demand, which has led to these critical incidents being declared across a number of trusts, and uniquely, actually across ambulance services as well.
“We haven’t seen that before, which really speaks to that level of demand.”