Health Critical incident declared at city hospitals as demand soars

SOUTHMEAD Hospital and the Bristol Royal Infirmary are currently operating under 'critical incident' protocols due to overwhelming demand for their services.

- Angus MCINTYRE

The number of patients requiring treatment has resulted in bed space at each hospital being severely limited.

At one point yesterday, beds at the BRI were completely full, the Post understands.

A Bristol NHS Group spokesperson stressed that people would still be able to receive treatment if they went to hospital, but urged the public to only attend if they genuinely needed to.

“Local services, including our hospitals, have escalation plans to help us manage the pressures,” the spokesperson said. “These are internal mechanisms that do not affect advice to patients and the public. People across the region are being asked to help by choosing the right service for their needs and seeking guidance from NHS 111.”