A&E at highest alert as 22 ambulances queue outside

Demand for emergency care at a hospital has hit critical levels, as 22 ambulances were photographed queueing outside on Monday night.

Gloucestershire Royal Hospital is working at its highest level of escalation, meaning it requires external intervention and support to recover capacity and ensure patient safety.

A spokesman for Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said the number of patients requiring admission for seasonal illnesses was rising to levels "not seen for some time".

It is one of a number of trusts across the west of England that is experiencing a surge in demand, with Salisbury District Hospital and Great Western Hospital in Swindon also at the highest level of escalation.

Members of the public are being urged to only attend A&E or call an ambulance if their condition is serious or life threatening.

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said its emergency departments at Gloucestershire Royal and Cheltenham General are very busy and patients might be waiting "longer than we would like".

The trust spokesman added that its hospitals were seeing a lot of patients with flu.

"The number requiring admission, and occasionally intensive care or respiratory high care, is increasing to levels not seen for some time," he said.

"In response we've established cohort bays and wards in line with best practice infection prevention and control standards."

It comes as a yellow cold health alert has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency.

The alert, which is in place for fours day, warns there could be an increased use of healthcare services by vulnerable people.

Dr Amanda Webb, chief medical officer of the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, confirmed Salisbury District Hospital and Great Western Hospital in Swindon are also at the highest level of escalation.

She said that services across the region were seeing "much higher numbers" of patients presenting with common winter illnesses.

"There are absolutely times when it's the right thing to do to call an ambulance or to turn up at A&E, but what we are asking is that people do that as sensibly as they possibly can," she said.

A spokesperson for Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust said while it is at its highest level of escalation, service demands are "in line with expectations", and this time of year presents a "very changeable situation".

The South Western Ambulance Trust said it was already under a lot of pressure heading into "a really busy couple of days" over new year.

Meanwhile, the NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board said the public can ease pressure on hospitals by helping loved ones leave hospital once they are ready for discharge.

A spokesperson said: "Community and social care services are working together to make sure that patients continue to receive safe and effective care."

The North Bristol NHS Trust has asked people to ensure they have sufficient food and medicine and to take measures to reduce draughts in homes.

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