Hull hospitals ‘not in critical state, despite high demand’
BOSSES SAY TRUST IS NOT IN CRISIS
HULL’S two main hospitals are currently extremely busy – but NHS bosses have confirmed they are not currently facing a crisis.
Many hospitals across the country are preparing for a tough winter ahead as staffing levels reach a critical state.
But Hull Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which oversees the running of both Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital, says it currently has enough staff to meet demand.
It follows one hospital in Cornwall announcing a “critical incident” this month, claiming demand was currently outweighing staffing levels.
The Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro said it was facing unprecedented pressures, the likes of which were greater than at any point so far during the Covid-19 pandemic.
A spokeswoman for Hull Teaching Hospitals said pressures on staff currently were high, but not in as dire a state as those seen in Cornwall.
“We are currently experiencing a high demand for our services at the moment. However, people should be reassured that NHS services remain open,” the spokeswoman said.
“We thank our teams for continuing to work hard to deliver the best possible care to patients and apologise to anyone having to wait longer than we would like to be seen and treated.”
One mum, however, recently told Hull Live she was currently waiting in agony to be treated for a neurological condition as Hull Royal Infirmary was “too full” to treat her.
Pauline Wales has been waiting weeks for life-changing treatment for incurable condition Dystonia – with the hospital confirming it was currently facing immense pressure.
The trust has around 1,000 inpatient beds, employs more than 8,900 full and part-time staff and provides planned and emergency hospital services for almost 603,000 people in Hull and the East Riding.
The spokeswoman added: “If it’s urgent but not life-threatening, please go online to 111.nhs.uk or access other community services such as Urgent Treatment Centres and the GP walk-in service at Wilberforce Health Centre in Hull city centre.”