Critical incident declared at Royal Stoke as hospital faces ‘exceptional pressure’

A critical incident has been declared at Royal Stoke University Hospital as NHS bosses warn services are under exceptional pressure.

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, which runs Royal Stoke and County Hospital in Stafford, says a combination of high patient numbers, delays in discharging patients and pressure on local ambulance services is affecting the flow of patients through its hospitals.

The Trust says it is prioritising urgent and emergency treatment, moving staff to the busiest areas and working with NHS partners to ease the pressure. It is the third critical incident declared by the Trust this year, following incidents in January and June.

Patients are being urged to use NHS 111, pharmacies, GPs or walk-in centres where appropriate, with emergency departments reserved for serious or life-threatening conditions.

At the time of the latest update, 45 patients were waiting three hours for treatment at Royal Stoke A&E, while 33 patients were waiting three hours at Haywood Hospital.