Covid and norovirus put Swindon's Great Western Hospital at 'maximum capacity'

Swindon's Great Western Hospital says it is 'stretched to maximum capacity', due to rising Covid-19 admissions, a norovirus outbreak, and very high numbers of patients coming to its emergency department.

As of Saturday 5 February, the hospital had 76 Covid inpatients - a 40% increase on the previous week.

In addition, it is treating 'a number' of patients for norovirus, the highly contagious winter vomiting bug.

As with Covid-19 patients, norovirus patients have to be isolated, which means even fewer of the hospital's 450 beds are available.

The Matron of the Emergency Department, Natalie Lawrence, warns of long waits in A&E, adding: "Nearly all of the beds on our wards are full.

"This year has been one of the busiest on record for us, and this winter period has been no different."

Managers at the Great Western say they might have to postpone elective surgery and outpatient appointments if the bed pressure does not start to ease.

The Royal United Hospital in Bath is also seeing an increase in Covid admissions. They have 48 Covid inpatients - a 14% rise on the previous week.

Managers at both it and the Great Western have urged people to only use their emergency departments in cases of serious or life-threatening emergencies.

Nationally, Covid hospital admission rates have levelled off and Covid deaths steadily declined in January.