A&E patients facing waiting times of up to 50 hours
PA MediaPatients are facing wait times of up to 50 hours in the accident and emergency unit at Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has declared a âserious incidentâ due to âexceptionally high demandâ on services and urged people to only go to A&E in a genuine medical emergency.
The hospital said it was âextremely busyâ amid a rising number of patients with flu and other respiratory problems.
A spokesperson for the trust said emergency measures had been put in place that would allow managers to call for additional help and make changes to ensure patient safety.
He said the serious incident was announced due to the âextreme demand on our emergency department, particularly flu and respiratory illnesses, and the number of patients.â
âThis decision has been taken to support the safe care and treatment of our patients, which is our absolute priority,â he said.
The trust said managers are working with partners to ensure that people who are medically fit can leave hospital safely and at the earliest opportunity.
âIncreasing cases of fluâ
A spokesperson for the trust said staff were âworking incredibly hardâ to treat people as quickly as possible but warned that some patients âwill be facing longer waits when we treat our sickest patientsâ. Will have to.â
Non-emergency patients are urged to use other services, such as a GP, local pharmacy or walk-in center instead.
âWe have seen an increase in the number of people presenting to our emergency departments with flu and respiratory illnesses in recent weeks,â the spokesperson said.
For those who go to the emergency department, he asked patients and visitors to follow additional infection control measures to help prevent the spread of flu and norovirus.
âThis includes practicing good hand hygiene, visiting our hospitals only when asked to do so, and wearing a mask in clinical areas,â the spokesperson said.
listen to the best BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds And follow BBC Merseyside Facebook, xAnd InstagramYou can also send story ideas here northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk And send it via WhatsApp to 0808 100 2230.
