Hospital declares critical incident amid high demand

A hospital has declared a critical incident due to "severe and sustained pressure" on its services.

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) said there was an exceptionally high demand for emergency care, alongside significant pressure on hospital beds.

Tracey Brigstock, chief nursing officer, asked the public to only attend the Coventry hospital's emergency department if they had a life-threatening situation.

"I am sorry for the disruption this may cause and thank our staff for their continued professionalism," Brigstock added.

She also advised the public to use NHS 111, GP services or urgent treatment centres where appropriate.

The teams at the trust were "working tirelessly" but demand was "exceeding our capacity", Brigstock added.

The hospital said the high demand was causing long waits for some patients.

"Declaring a critical incident is not a decision we have taken lightly, but it is necessary to protect patient safety," the chief nursing officer said.

"I ask everyone to be patient and kind to our teams during this challenging time."

A critical incident is declared when a hospital is under extreme pressure that threatens its ability to deliver safe and effective care.

Staff will prioritise life-threatening emergencies and patients with non-urgent conditions are likely to face much longer waiting times.

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