Patients wait over "ten hours" in A&E as critical incident stood down
Bosses warn services at University Hospitals Dorset remain under "extreme pressure"
Last updated 3rd Jan 2023
Some patients going to the A&E departments in Bournemouth and Poole have been waiting more than ten hours to be seen.
Bosses warn Poole Hospital and the Royal Bournemouth Hospital remain under "extreme pressure", despite a critical incident being stood down.
Patients were urged not to visit A&E with minor injuries and ailments and to only call 999 in the event of a serious or life-threatening emergency.
Dr Tristan Richardson, medical director at University Hospitals Dorset, said: "I've been working in Bournemouth and Poole for 23 years and this is the worst year I have ever seen.
"We've got increasing Covid and flu, but actually we've got sicker people coming into our hospitals.
"There's far too long a wait for people in our A&E departments waiting to be seen, over ten hours, and that's not good enough."