"Record number" of people attend A&E at QA Hospital in Portsmouth
Hospital bosses warn of mounting pressures
The number of people attending the emergency department at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth hit a new record this week.
Over 420 people attended the department on Monday, the highest daily figure since mid-December 2022, when there was a sharp rise in Strep A and scarlet fever cases.
Over 140 people arrived by ambulance to the emergency department but over 250 people walked in to be treated for minor injuries such as bumps, leg or arm injuries.
The last week has seen a total of 2,423 people attend the emergency department, 834 of whom were subsequently admitted to the hospital.
Hospital bosses are urging people to only attend the emergency department for life-threatening illnesses or injuries.
Mark Roland, Deputy Medical Director at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, said: "We urge people to not attend the emergency department unless it’s an emergency.
"For conditions such as sprains, bites and minor burns, please visit urgent treatment centres at St Mary’s Hospital in Portsmouth, Gosport and Petersfield.
"If you need to know where to get help and support, please go to NHS 111 online.
"Our immediate priority is to ensure there are beds available for our most seriously ill patients and we will be focusing on safely discharging as many patients as possible.
"We ask that families and loved ones support us with this and collect patients as soon as they are ready to be discharged."