Critical incident as hospitals cancel operations

Operations have been cancelled by a hospital trust after an influx of patients suffering from winter viruses.

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said a critical incident had been declared because of sustained pressures at Basingstoke and Winchester hospitals.

A spokesperson said beds across both hospitals were full and attendance at emergency departments was "extremely high".

Chief Nurse Julie Dawes said: "We have had to take a very difficult decision to cancel a number of operations."

Critical incidents can be declared when health and care services are so busy that special measures are needed to restore normal operations and keep patients safe.

Non-urgent patients have been warned they will face long waits in A&E and have been urged to consider other options, such as contacting their GP, visiting a pharmacy or calling NHS 111.

The trust said: "Our emergency departments are facing extremely high attendance levels. Non-life-threatening conditions will result in long waits."

Ms Dawes urged patients not to attend the emergency department "unless you have got a critical illness or injury".

She said: "We apologise to patients as there are long delays to be seen and even longer delays for access to a bed at the moment.

"We have had to take a very difficult decision to cancel a number of operations today, those patients have been informed and it is a small number at the moment, which we don't do that lightly.

"A small number of orthopaedic surgeries have been cancelled, while not life saving clearly it is very disappointing for us to have to let patients down."

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