Hospital under pressure as public told ‘stay away’
A HOSPITAL board has asked patients to stay away unless their condition is “life or limbthreatening” due to extreme pressures on the emergency department.
Waiting times at A&E at University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, were said to be in excess of nine hours and described as “exceptionally busy” in an urgent notice issued on Saturday.
Patients who are concerned or who would like advice on treatment are advised to visit the NHS Wales 111 symptom-checker or consult their pharmacy.
A spokesperson for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board said: “The Emergency Unit at University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, is under extreme pressure and is exceptionally busy at the moment. We are asking the public to please only attend if it is life or limbthreatening. Waiting times are far longer than we would like and are currently in excess of nine hours.
“If people are worried and would like advice, please visit the NHS Wales 111 symptom-checker in the first instance or visit your community pharmacy, who can provide advice on a number of minor illnesses.
“There is also advice on self-care for a wide variety of symptoms at https://111.wales.nhs.uk/.
“We would like to thank people across Cardiff and Vale of
Glamorgan for their help and understanding during this time of extreme pressure in our health service.”
The urgent notice comes after weeks of reports of delays in ambulance services and access to hospital treatment.
A member of the public recently captured footage of around 15 ambulances waiting outside UHW’s emergency department.
A Welsh Ambulance Service spokesperson said handover delays remain a “serious and longstanding issue” that are affecting crews across the UK.
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board also noted they were facing “significant and sustained pressures”, leading to delays in the timely discharge of patients from hospital.
The pressure doesn’t seem to be affecting just the University Hospital of Wales, as a A&E doctor at the Welsh Government’s flagship new £350m hospital told the Echo that waits were “unacceptable” as a “perfect storm” approaches.
Alastair Richards, clinical director of emergency medicine at the Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran, warned that the influx of acute patients was growing “week on week” during the winter months due to the continued high levels of Covid in the community, typical winter illnesses and the resumption of routine care.