Stay away from A&E, plead 14 hospitals: Trusts issue desperate social media messages to patients after one of the busiest weeks in memory

Overcrowded A&E items are pleading with the general public to remain away in one of many busiest weeks in residing reminiscence.

Within the house of simply 24 hours, an unprecedented 14 well being trusts issued determined messages on social media warning sufferers they had been extraordinarily busy.

Dozens of hospitals throughout the nation are experiencing 'main inner incidents', however as a consequence of controversial tips they're forbidden from stating this publically.

And provisional figures present that within the final week alone, a complete of 250 principally aged sufferers had been languishing on trolleys for 12 hours or extra. Within the worst-affected casualty departments – principally within the West Nation – round 60 per cent of sufferers are ready 4 hours or extra to be seen.

Overcrowded A&E items are pleading with the general public to remain away in one of many busiest weeks in residing reminiscence

Docs' leaders are urging ministers to carry emergency Cobra-style conferences on the disaster, as they've by no means seen hospitals underneath a lot pressure. A&E items had been already busy earlier than Christmas, however the disaster has intensified in the previous few days with outbreaks of flu and the arrival of a chilly snap.

The state of affairs was made worse by a run of financial institution holidays when GP surgical procedures had been closed, and unwell sufferers delayed looking for assist. Official NHS figures due later immediately are anticipated to point out that A&E efficiency for the final week was the worst on document.

However provisional information from the School of Emergency Medication, which represents A&E medical doctors, exhibits that a mean of 22 per cent of sufferers waited for 4 or extra hours within the final week of December. That is twice as excessive as the identical week in 2015, when simply 11 per cent skilled delays that lengthy.

Dr Adrian Boyle, a spokesman for the School and an A&E marketing consultant at Addenbrooke's hospital in Cambridge, mentioned: 'We're underneath an terrible lot of stress in the intervening time.

Within the house of simply 24 hours, an unprecedented 14 well being trusts issued determined messages on social media warning sufferers that their emergency departments had been extraordinarily busy

'Basically, the issue is we don't have sufficient beds, both in our hospitals or in social care.' Dr Mark Holland, of the Society of Acute Medication, mentioned: 'I've by no means seen acute medication underneath a lot pressure. We predicted a disaster and we have now reached disaster ... the Authorities must acknowledge the mess we're in and take measures of kin to the Cobra committee.'

Yesterday hospital bosses throughout the UK posted messages on Twitter, urging the general public to keep away from going to A&E unnecessarily.

Ipswich and East Suffolk Medical Commissioning Group wrote: 'Employees at A&E are busy saving lives. Solely go in an emergency.' Different areas issuing messages included Cambridge and Peterborough, north-west London, Kingston in Surrey and North Cumbria.

NHS England mentioned: 'The NHS's tried and examined plans are at the moment managing the continued pressures of this winter.'

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