UHNM hospitals no longer in critical incident but pressure remains

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust is no longer operating under critical incident arrangements, but both Royal Stoke University Hospital and County Hospital in Stafford remain under significant pressure.

UHNM declared a critical incident on Saturday 28 June because of exceptional pressure across services at both hospitals. The trust said this was due to a combination of factors, including high numbers of patients needing care, delays in discharging patients from hospital and significant pressure on local ambulance services.

The trust said the pressure was affecting its ability to move patients through hospitals safely and as quickly as it would like. As part of its response, UHNM prioritised urgent and emergency treatment, worked with NHS partners to improve patient flow and redeployed staff to support the busiest areas.

In an update on Wednesday 1 July, UHNM said it was no longer operating under critical incident arrangements. However, the trust said Royal Stoke and County Hospital continue to experience significant pressure across services.

People are still being asked to choose the most appropriate NHS service for their needs. For non-life-threatening conditions, UHNM is asking people to consider NHS 111, local pharmacies, GP services or walk-in centres where appropriate.

Emergency departments should only be used for serious or life-threatening illnesses and injuries.

What is a critical incident?

A critical incident is declared when an NHS service is under exceptional pressure and needs to take extra steps to maintain safe care.

This can include prioritising urgent care, moving staff to the busiest areas, working with partner organisations and asking the public to use alternative services where appropriate.