‘Quad-demic’ NHS warning as ambulance wait times increase at South West hospitals
Watch ambulance staff talk to ITV News' Robert Murphy about growing pressures facing the service this winter
South Western Ambulance Service has issued a warning after a ‘quad-demic’ of seasonal illnesses put pressure on regional hospitals.
Long delays dropping off patients at hospitals - combined with the recent bad weather - have been compounded by illness.
The so-called 'quad-demic' refers to flu, Covid-19, norovirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) - which health bosses say has led to "barely a spare bed in the NHS."
The warning comes just days after Bath, Plymouth, Truro and Torbay's hospitals featured in a top ten list of worst waiting times to get into Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments.
Swindon's Great Western Hospital topped the list - with more than 75 per cent of ambulance patients waiting longer than 30 minutes to be handed over to an A&E team.
Managers of the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) have asked people to use alternatives if possible.
The service is asking for people to call 999 in emergencies only.
Jessica Cunningham, Executive Director of Operations at SWASFT, said: “We know this winter is going to be a very challenging time for us.
"We’re urging local communities to use our services responsibly, and choose the right care for them.
“We want to be there for everyone that needs the ambulance service in an emergency – to help us achieve this we need to have our crews available for patients with the most life-threatening conditions.
"Please only call 999 if someone is seriously injured or ill, for anything else, please contact NHS 111.
“I would like to thank our people and NHS colleagues who will be working together throughout the winter to help keep us all safe and well.
"Should you need their help, please be kind to them as they are all working hard under significant daily pressures."
This is on top of other pressures including strong storms at the weekend, and regular demands including trips on ice and mental health concerns at Christmas.
The ambulance service's call comes days after it emerged five of the country's worst hospitals for A&E admissions were in the South West.
"The beds in the hospitals are being filled with people with flu and Covid," said Lauren Male, Deputy Head of Centre for SWAFT in Bristol.
"So there may not be beds for us to hand our patients to. That then means or ambulances are waiting outside. And we may not be able to get to other people in the community."
An average of 96,587 hospital beds in England were occupied each day last week - meaning 95% of NHS beds are full.
Last week saw a 86 per cent rise in Norovirus cases in hospital compared with the same week last year.
More than a third of patients arriving by ambulance at hospitals in England last week waited more than 30 minutes to be handed over to A&E.