Major incident declared at Walsall Manor Hospital as NHS faces pressures

Special measures introduced to cope with demand at the Manor include the cancellation of planned surgery, scaling back trust-provided training and reviewing outpatient clinics to ensure clinical staff are not taken away from the frontline where they are needed.

A major incident is declared when a hospital is exceptionally busy and special measures are needed to cope. The declaration allows hospital bosses to call in extra staff to help them cope.

Richard Kirby, chief executive of Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, today confirmed that the trust is operating as a major incident.

He said: "We continue to face significant pressure from emergency admissions and Walsall Manor Hospital has been operating at level 4 for the past few days.

"We have reached this level on several occasions over the past three weeks.

"As of yesterday we have been operating the trust as a major incident. We have put arrangements in place so that we are able to focus on the priority of ensuring we can care safely for the patients already in the hospital, arrange the safe discharge of those who are well enough to go home and reduce the current long waits for admission in A&E.

"I would like to thank all staff, whether based in the hospital or in the community, who are working very hard to ensure we can continue to provide care in these challenging circumstances."

Community nursing teams are working hard to avoid people being unnecessarily admitted to hospital as well as to support patients at home following discharge.

Mr Kirby added: "We would therefore urge anyone needing medical care to consider what would be the most appropriate healthcare service for their needs.

"There are long waits in our emergency department and we are encouraging people to use other available local services if their problem is not an emergency."

A major incident has also been declared at Royal Stoke University Hospital over the pressures on the A&E department, prompting warnings to patients throughout Staffordshire.

Bosses at the hospital admitted they are dealing with an 'unprecedented demand for healthcare services'.

Royal Stoke is one of a number of hospitals around the country to have declared major incidents.

The declaration allows hospital bosses to call in extra staff to help them cope.

Some ambulance services have been suspended meaning some patients have been asked to postpone their routine appointments unless they are urgent.

Ann Marie Morris, clinical director for emergency medicine at the hospital, said: "Our primary concern is the safety of patients.

"As part of our plans to manage high demands on NHS services, clinical teams have taken the decision to postpone some operations to ensure they can deal with acute and emergency care such as accidents, medical and surgical emergencies.

"This is standard procedure to allow emergency patients waiting in A&E to be admitted to a bed.

"Clinicians have not taken this decision lightly, and every effort will be made to reschedule their treatment as soon as we can. We would ask for people to be patient as NHS staff work hard to ensure that NHS services are maintained as much as possible. Our Emergency Centre staff are here to treat serious accidents and emergencies.

"We urge the public to use other facilities if possible and be aware that if they attend A&E they may be diverted to other services elsewhere."

Campaigners today called on Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to resign over the situation. Support Stafford Hospital campaigner Karen Howell said the situation was 'appalling'.

Hospitals, community providers, NHS commissioners and West Midlands Ambulance Service worked together yesterday to manage the unprecedented demand.

Major incidents have been declared at a number of hospitals throughout England.

Gloucestershire Royal and Cheltenham General implemented the emergency measure for the second time in three weeks.

Hospitals in North Yorkshire and Surrey have also declared a major incident.