Dudley hospital declared 'critical incident' due to 'unprecedented' numbers of patients waiting
Russells Hall Hospital chiefs were forced to declare a "critical incident" on Monday until yesterday .
Staff were told the Emergency Department was struggling to cope with a surge of patients, many believed to be suffering from flu.
Diane Wake, chief executive of Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, said: "This week we are seeing immense pressure on our emergency services, which is resulting in an unprecedented number of patients waiting in our Emergency Department.
"We declared an internal critical incident on Monday, December 19, and this was stood down yesterday on Tuesday, December 20."
She added: "Our staff are working tirelessly to provide the best care possible under these challenging circumstances. We are working to prioritise conditions that are serious or life threatening. If people need medical help, we would ask them to visit NHS111 online or use a service in the area such as a local pharmacist or GP."
West Birmingham and Sandwell Hospitals Trust declared a "critical incident" on Tuesday due to over capacity at A&E departments which was still in force on Wednesday.
Staff were ordered to cancel non-urgent business and meetings to help their colleagues.
