Health: Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust facing 'extreme pressure' and doctors warn 'every emergency bed is full'

Over the past month, emergency departments across the country have seen an increase in demand for care, resulting in overcrowding, long waits to be seen and delays for people requiring admission.

Staff at Pinderfields, Dewsbury and Pontefract Hospitals have faced a surge in patients throughout the festive period alongside ongoing strikes and capacity problems.

Ward teams across Mid Yorkshire Hospitals say they are “extremely stretched”, with hundreds of extra patients needing accommodating.

The trust says every cubicle in its emergency department is full, and they are seeing very high numbers of people waiting to be seen.

It is trying to discharge nearly 200 patients who are ready to leave hospital so it can free up beds – but is warning anyone who turns up at A&E who does not need urgent care will face very long waits.

The trust is urging residents to only visit A&E in emergency and life-threatening cases - when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.

Trudie Davies, Chief Operating Officer at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust said: “This is always an extremely busy time of year for health and care services. Demand has been very high for some weeks now.

"Currently every cubicle in our emergency department is full and we have very high numbers of people waiting to be seen.

"Our priority is to provide safe care for the sickest patients and people who have less serious conditions who turn up at A&E will face a very long wait.

“Our teams are working hard alongside our system partners to discharge the almost 200 patients we currently have in our hospitals, who have no clinical reason to be here.

"We are focussing on enabling these patients to get back to the place they call home as quickly as possible, providing them with the right support and care to be able to stay well at home.

Trudie continued: “I would like to thank every single member of staff who has worked over the festive period to provide care to our patients. Everybody has done – and continues to do – an incredible job and I never cease to be amazed by the care and compassion shown to our patients and each other.”

Anyone who does not need highly specialist care in a hospital setting should seek help from other services, using alternative support through NHS 111 online or by calling NHS 111.

Other local services available include visiting a GP practice or calling into a local pharmacy.

Patients can get face-to-face appointments for urgent problems and book routine appointments in advance when GP practices are closed through the GP Care Wakefield service.

For more immediate support, King Street Walk-in Centre, Wakefield, is open seven days a week, 365 days a year, between the hours of 10am and 10pm.