Trust winter update
The situation in our hospitals is improving but we are still extremely busy. We are asking the public to continue supporting us as you have been by using NHS services wisely and choosing the most appropriate care for your needs.
We are no longer at ‘critical incident standby’ status, but our hospitals are still extremely busy. We are continuing to work hard, with our partners across the health and care system, to safely discharge patients who no longer need acute hospital care and to care for people in the community, rather than bring them to hospital, where it is safe to do so.
If your condition is not life-threatening, please consider alternatives to attending our Emergency Departments, such as:
NHS 111 (online or by phoning 111) for advice and direction to the right service
Pharmacies for minor illnesses
GP practices and urgent treatment centres where appropriate.
It’s important that anyone who needs urgent medical help continues to come forward – using 999 in life-threatening emergencies and NHS 111 for other urgent care.
We would like to say a heartfelt thank you to our staff across our hospitals for their continued hard work and to local people for their ongoing support.
By working together and using services appropriately, you can help us ensure that those who need urgent care receive it as quickly and safely as possible.
Important information for visitors
We would kindly ask visitors to help us protect patients from norovirus infection:
If you have symptoms of any viruses, including flu and tummy bugs, please do not visit loved ones at our hospitals until you have been symptom-free for 48 hours.
Please do not visit if you have spent time with anyone with symptoms
Please clean your hands when you arrive at the ward/department and when you leave
Please only visit one patient
If it is possible for only one person to visit at a time, please do so
If it is possible, please avoid bringing children to visit loved ones at this time.
If the person you want to visit is in an affected bay (a section of the ward where some patients are experiencing norovirus symptoms), please do not visit if you are vulnerable to infection or if you care for, or live with, someone who is vulnerable. If the person you want to visit is ill with norovirus, please do not visit them until they have been symptom-free for 48 hours.
If your loved one is at the end of their life or needs specific support we will ensure you are able to visit and this will be agreed by the ward manager.