GPs 'directing people to A&E despite crisis'

NHS TRUST CONFIRMS HIGH DEMAND IS CONTINUING

- By ELLIOT JESSETT

PATIENTS visiting a Merseyside hospital experienced "extremely long waits" last weekend according to its NHS Trust, which confirmed the number of winter viruses was significantly impacting access to emergency healthcare services.

The Trust has advised people with non-urgent conditions to avoid using accident and emergency (A&E) departments, and contact their GP or the NHS 111 service.

However, several people have complained this advice is unlikely to result in reductions to wait times at A&E departments because they claim GP surgeries and NHS 111 are advising people with non-urgent cases to attend A&E.

Last weekend, an ECHO report detailed local concerns about the number of ambulances queued up and waiting outside Whiston Hospital. A spokesperson for Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust confirmed it was experiencing "very high levels" of demand during the weekend, following the Christmas break.