As the NHS grapples with the challenges of the winter season, two hospital trusts in Nottinghamshire have been forced to declare critical incidents due to significant and unacceptable delays across various services. The Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust and the Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have both taken this unprecedented step in response to the surge in winter infections and staff sickness, leading to severe and sustained pressures on their emergency departments and hospital wards.
At the NUH, the emergency department (ED) at the Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) was designed to treat 350 patients per day, but the site has been “regularly” seeing more than 500 patients. The demand on hospital beds has “exceeded all of our forecasted modelling,” resulting in patients experiencing “unacceptable and lengthy waits on corridors.”
Similarly, the Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the King’s Mill Hospital in Sutton-in-Ashfield, has reported “insufficient discharges to meet the demand of patients waiting to be admitted,” leading to “sustained pressure” across many services.
Andrew Hall, the chief operating officer at NUH, expressed the gravity of the situation, stating, “We are experiencing pressures like never before. Despite our teams working tirelessly, the demand on our hospitals far exceeds our capacity.” He acknowledged the decision to declare a critical incident was not taken lightly, but it was necessary to protect patient safety.
In response to the critical incidents, the trusts will be rearranging some elective procedures to create capacity for the sickest patients, opening all available beds and spaces, and redeploying staff to help alleviate the pressures. They will also be working with NHS and local partners to speed up discharges and provide community support.
Dr. Manjeet Shehmar, the medical director at NUH, urged the public to only use the emergency department for genuine emergencies or serious accidents, as those with non-urgent conditions may face “extremely long waits” and may be redirected to alternative services.
The announcement of these critical incidents follows similar declarations across NHS hospital trusts in South-East England, including the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, and East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, underscoring the widespread challenges facing the healthcare system during the winter months.
