Swindon's Great Western Hospital declares Internal Critical Incident
It means some non-urgent operations will be postponed
Great Western Hospital (GWH) has declared an Internal Critical Incident, following long waits for patients in recent days.
Staff have faced sustained demand for beds - with urgent, emergency and assessment areas being particularly busy.
Some non-urgent operations will now be postponed, to free up staff and hospital facilities.
However, bosses are urging people with scheduled operations to still attend, unless they have been contacted directly.
Seasonal flu is also proving problematic at GWH, with high quantities of staff and patients continuing to contract the illness.
However, the number of COVID patients has decreased slightly over the past week.
'Many patients are experiencing longer waits and I'm genuinely sorry'
Chief Executive Kevin McNamara said: "Whilst January is always a difficult month in health and social care, it certainly feels much more challenging at the moment.
"We continue to be reliant on the incredible professionalism of individuals and teams across Swindon in trying to manage demand as best we can.
"We know that many patients are experiencing longer waits and I'm genuinely sorry that this is the case. No one working at GWH wants anything other than to give their very best for patients as quickly as possible.
"People waiting with us for a bed continue to be monitored and given care and treatment until a bed becomes available, so please be assured this is the utmost priority for everyone at GWH".