Pressure 'starting to ease' after hospital declares critical incident over bed shortage

Yesterday it emerged the trust running the hospital had declared a critical incident after running out of beds for patients.

Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust said it was experiencing severe pressure due to social care delays.

Bosses now say the situation is easing but there is still a high number of patients waiting for treatment in its emergency department.

Despite the challenges faced, the trust says essential services remain fully open for anyone who needs them and anyone who requires urgent medical help is being urged to come forward.

Patients have been warned they may experience longer waits, with the trust stating it is prioritising care based on clinical need to maintain safe services for patients.

Diane Wake, chief executive of The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are pleased to confirm that the service pressures we have experienced over the last 24 hours have started to ease.

“Our NHS staff and care partners have continued to work tirelessly to maintain services and keep our patients safe under these challenging circumstances.

"We are grateful to everyone who has taken steps to help relieve the pressure, and we would like to thank our incredible teams across the health and social care sector for their efforts.

“However, we are still seeing significant demand upon all our services across the trust, including a high number of patients waiting for treatment in our emergency department.

"Our main focus continues to be providing care for patients who need urgent or emergency care, and those who are receiving inpatient care in our clinical sites.

“Patients and members of the public will continue to be asked to use our services wisely to ensure those patients with the greatest need can access care and support.

"If people need medical help, we would ask them to visit NHS111 online or use a service in the local area such as a local pharmacist or GP.”