Patients in the UK have been urged to attend emergency departments alone as National Health Service (NHS) hospitals grapple with high demand amid rising flu cases.
Some hospitals have also restricted visitor numbers while others are encouraging people to wear surgical masks to limit the spread of viruses.
Several NHS trusts declared critical incidents due to “exceptionally high demands” in emergency departments, with a patient at one hospital forced to wait 50 hours to be admitted to a ward.
Nearly 5,000 hospital beds in England are occupied by patients with flu.
York and Scarborough hospitals asked for public support by asking patients to seek medical attention alone where possible.
Dr Ed Smith, deputy medical director at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “Our emergency departments are busy all year round but are exceptionally busy at the moment with a high volume of poorly patients attending.
“This means that the departments can often be overcrowded, with limited places to sit while waiting to be seen.
“While we understand it’s appropriate for a friend or family member to accompany with a child or as a carer for example, if patients can attend alone, this will help free up much-needed space for other patients.”
North Bristol NHS Trust, which runs Southmead Hospital, urged both the public and staff to wear surgical face masks in its emergency zone.
“This is to reduce the risk of infection and to enhance the safety of all concerned,” the trust said.
Meanwhile, East Sussex Hospitals Trust announced on Tuesday it is temporarily limiting visiting to one visitor per patient per day to reduce the impact of flu.
“Exemptions apply to end-of-life care, our special care baby unit and when visiting children under 16,” a statement said.
“Additional visitors will be permitted on compassionate grounds on a case-by-case basis for all of our other services.”
Hospitals in Northamptonshire, Cornwall, Liverpool, Hampshire, Birmingham and Plymouth have all declared critical incidents in recent days.
East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust also declared the first critical incident in its history due to a combination of “significant patient demand, pressure within local hospitals and flooding.”
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.
Earlier, NHS data revealed the number of people in hospital with flu in England was more than four times the level it was a month ago, with officials warning cases are “rising at a very concerning rate.”
It is expected that data to be released on Thursday will show another rise in the number of people admitted to hospital due to flu.
NHS England’s national medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, said: “Frontline NHS staff are under significant pressure and the demand is showing no signs of letting up, with latest data showing flu cases skyrocketed to around 5,000 a day in hospitals at the end of last year and multiple trusts across the country declaring incidents to help them to manage the additional strain on services.”
On Tuesday Health Secretary Wes Streeting said that he felt “distressed and ashamed” when he heard about some of the experiences patients are facing in the NHS.
At least one patient at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital was forced to wait for more than two days in A&E amid ongoing pressure.
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. (dpa/NAN)
