Patients told not to visit Dudley Russells Hall Hospital A&E unless vital

Hospital bosses made the plea yesterday afternoon due to 'extreme pressure' on its A&E unit following an 'unprecedented influx' of patients.

The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust declared a 'major internal incident' at the hospital as they called in support to help stretched services for the first time in four years. They said there had been high levels of emergency admissions since the middle of December, but capacity issues came to a head yesterday afternoon.

Patients were told anyone arriving at A&E would be seen but warned they would have a 'very long wait'. It comes just days after bosses at Stafford Hospital appealed for people to only attend A&E if vital due to a sharp increase of very sick patients.

At Russells Hall, as many medical staff as possible were drafted in, which led to outpatient clinics being cancelled and planned operating lists being postponed.

The trust said it also tried to discharge additional patients to nursing homes and care homes. West Midlands Ambulance Service was asked to divert ambulances away from Russells Hall Hospital to other A&E units.

Appealing for patients to think twice about attending yesterday, chief executive Paula Clark said: "We are at level four capacity which means we have extreme pressure on our services, and so patients who come to our A&E department will have a very long wait."

By 6pm bosses announced the situation had improved and 'capacity' issues at the department had eased.

Ms Clark added: "We would like to thank our patients and partners across the health economy for helping us manage the pressures placed upon our accident and emergency department."

She confirmed that the situation had improved today and said they should be able to cope this weekend. But she reiterated the plea for people to 'think twice' before coming to A&E.

"Thanks to the help we received yesterday from our healthcare partners, including West Midlands Ambulance Service and our social care colleagues, we are in a better position to manage emergency admissions for the weekend," she added.

West Midland Ambulance Service were asked to divert one ambulance away from the hospital during the incident.

Spokesman Steve Parry said: "We have been assisting in whatever way we can with the Dudley Group. In terms of our service, there has been minimal disruption."