Critical incident declared at Chesterfield Royal Hospital after 'sustained pressure'

Hospital bosses have declared a critical incident following "days of sustained pressure".

Patients have been asked only to attend Chesterfield Royal Hospital if they have an emergency or life-threatening condition.

The critical incident was declared at 9.35am on Thursday and will be in place until further notice.Zoe Notley, deputy chief operating officer at Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Trust, said there had been growing pressure, with a rising number of hospital attendances since Sunday.

She added: "Despite everyone's efforts to get flow moving through the hospital, sadly, this morning we've come in to a deteriorating picture."

A critical incident can be declared by an NHS trust when it comes under extraordinary pressure.

It can be caused by very high numbers of staff absences or patient admissions and means staff and patients are warned that the hospital may be unable to function as usual. Chesterfield Royal Hospital has asked people to keep their hands clean to limit the spread of illness. In a statement the hospital said: "We understand that it is frustrating when yourself or a loved one is poorly but we we are doing everything we can to relieve the pressure on our services and colleagues are working to give patient care throughout the trust."