Pressures across Cardiff hospitals after ‘huge spike’ in emergency attendances

A Welsh health board has said it has seen a "huge spike" in the number of people coming to a Cardiff emergency department.

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board said it has seen over 200 more people presenting at the University Hospital of Wales emergency department than they would usually expect.

The health board is urging the public to only attend the department in an emergency and to be prepared for a longer wait than usual.

"This influx in attendances has caused significant pressure across both University Hospital of Wales and University Hospital Llandough and has resulted in incredibly long waits in the department and for admission to a hospital bed," a statement from the health board posted on social media read.

"We are urging the public to please only attend the emergency unit in an emergency. If you do need to attend, please be prepared for a longer wait than usual."

The health board advised the public to use NHS 111 Wales if they are unsure what healthcare support they need.

"We thank you for your ongoing support during this challenging time and please remember to treat all colleagues and patients with kindness and respect," the statement said.

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