Critical incident declared at East Surrey Hospital after power failure

Author: Grace McGachyPublished 20th Feb 2024

Some patients have had to be evacuated from a Surrey hospital because of a power outage.

A critical incident was declared at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill yesterday afternoon (19 February).

The issues have impacted their Intensive Care Unit and the High Dependency Unit and the hospital say all patients have been safely evacuated.

A statement on the Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust website said:

"We would like to reassure our patients and the public that despite the challenges faced, our essential services remain open for anyone who needs them so if you require urgent medical help, it’s vital that you continue to come forward or call 999.

"If you have a scheduled elective procedure on 20 February 2024 at East Surrey Hospital, a member of our team will contact you with an update on your appointment. Anyone attending an outpatient appointment at East Surrey Hospital should however continue to attend their appointment unless they have been contacted to reschedule.

"While our Emergency Department is not closed to all patients, we are asking members of the public to please consider alternatives to ED if your condition is not life-threatening. This will reduce the potential pressure on our intensive care services.

"That includes visiting NHS 111 online, using local pharmacies and your GP, and for non-life-threatening care such as for minor injuries should visit local Urgent Treatment Centres (UTC) or Minor Injury Units (MIU)."

It is not yet known what caused the failure or when power is expected to be restored.

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