Great Western Hospital declares CRITICAL INCIDENT after 81% rise in COVID patients
Hospital bosses are expecting demand to get "tougher" over the next few weeks
Great Western Hospital (GWH) has declared a "critical incident", after experiencing a major rise in demand for its services.
Since Christmas Eve, GWH has seen an 81% increase of COVID patients. It currently has 67 patients with COVID, or suspected COVID.
Kevin McNamara, Chief Executive, said the critical incident has been announced due to "sustained high levels of demand" - from both COVID and non-COVID patients.
"This is causing delays to patients accessing services, for which I am very sorry," he added.
GWH bosses expect demand to get "tougher" at the Emergency Department and Urgent Treatment Centre over the next few weeks. This would follow a similar vein to January 2021, when the Hospital last declared a "critical incident".
To avoid patients discharges being delayed, and GWH beds therefore being unnecessarily used, the Trust is now urging the families of patients to be involved "as early as possible" in discussions with hospital staff, regarding the individual's ongoing care needs.
Practical steps that can be taken by carers include arranging transport, or stocking-up medicine in the patient's home.
GWH is also encouraging anyone needing urgent healthcare advice, who's not in an emergency, to call 111 before visiting the Hospital.