University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust stands down critical incident, but patients warned of long waits
The critical incident declared at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust has been stood down on Thursday.
Hospital bosses took the measure yesterday (Wednesday) because of an unusually high number of patients seeking treatment.
The trust said there had been enough improvement to stand down the incident, but that services ‘remain pressured’.
The emergency department at the Leicester Royal Infirmary and Clinical Decisions Unit at the Glenfield were reported to remain ‘very busy’, with ‘longer waits than usual’ for patients.
Andrew Furlong, medical director at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, said: “Many of the partnership actions that led to improvements during the critical incident remain in place, with pressures expected to continue over the coming days.
“We need people to continue to use NHS services wisely, and only seek emergency care in life or limb threatening situations.
“If it is not an emergency, please visit NHS 111 online or call NHS111 for advice on how to get the care you need at any time of day or night.
"We would like to thank our incredible teams across health and social care for their considerable efforts in keeping the public safe."
Local people are asked to help by:
* Only call 999 or come to the Emergency Department in a life or limb threatening emergency
* When you need urgent medical care but it’s not an emergency, visit NHS 111 online or call NHS111 for advice on how to get the care you need at any time of day or night.
If needed, they can book you an appointment or arrival time at one of several urgent care services across Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland. You can find details on the Get In The Know website.
* Think Pharmacy First. Pharmacists can help with many illnesses. They can give advice and treatments that don’t need a prescription, and many can also provide prescription medicine for some conditions. To find a pharmacy, visit https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/pharmacies/how-pharmacies-can-help/