Berkshire & Hampshire hospitals issue A&E warning
Hospitals say their emergency departments are being overwhelmed by people looking for treatment
Last updated 1st Jul 2021
Hospital emergency departments across Berkshire and North Hampshire say they are seeing a higher than usual number of people for the time of year.
One emergency department head has told us they are being "overwhelmed" with "record-breaking numbers" of people seeking help.
Dr Omar Nafousi is the Lead Consultant for the emergency department at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading:
"Usually people just need advice and reassurance and we're happy to offer that, but at the same time we are struggling we are being overwhelmed people have to understand they can get that advice and reassurance from other avenues they can talk to their pharmacist, call 111, and try and call their GP services"
It's not just Berkshire feeling the pressure. It's the same in Hampshire where these appeals were issued on social media last night.
Dr Nafousi says in recent days they have set records for the number of people they've seen:
"If you go back to winter 2019 when the last record was broken that was roughly 420 patients (in a day), a few weeks ago we saw 460 patients, a few days later we broke that record and saw 465 patients these are numbers we'd be seeing in a busy winter, but we're seeing them in mid-June. It's unsustainable."
He says there's no one reason for the demand but he does say it's linked to people coming out of covid restrictions and wanting to get medical problems sorted out:
"People are now out and about and have longterm conditions that they've sadly ignored because of the covid and people are wanting an immediate solution, you know we live in the 'google age' and want immediate answers and sometimes we can't supply those answers and neither can GPs."
Dr Nafousi is pleading with people to look at alternatives first rather than coming to an emergency department but he adds:
"If you truly believe it's an emergency and you have no choice we will see you in the emergency department but when you arrive be patient, please."
He said they were trying to recruit staff at the RBH but called for more investment both inside the hospital and for GPs "we need to expand everywhere".