There have been more warnings from Surrey hospitals today (Friday) to people who are seeking medical care. Many of the facilities in the county are facing ‘extreme pressures’, according to Surrey Heartlands Health and Care Partnership.
It has issued a guidance document to help people decide which service best suits their needs. The call comes as flu admissions across the county increase, and pressures on hospitals continue to rise.
The Partnership is also addressing concerns over the cold weather warning which is currently in place over the weekend and into next week. The Met Office issued an amber cold-health alert for the South East from January 2 to 8, meaning forecasted weather is likely to cause significant impact across health and social care services.
All hospitals across Surrey are reporting extremely high levels of demand with the public urged to only attend Accident and Emergency Departments for serious illnesses, accidents, or life-threatening emergencies.
Frimley Health posted on social media: “We are currently experiencing extreme pressures in our Frimley Park and Wexham Park Hospital Emergency Departments. Dr Timothy Ho, Chief Medical Officer, and Melanie van Limborgh, Chief of Nursing and Midwifery at Frimley Health have prepared the following open letter to our local residents.”
The letter says: “We want to share some important updates regarding our current situation at our Frimley Park and Wexham Park Hospitals. Our commitment to providing safe and high-quality care remains our top priority, but we are facing sustained and significant pressures across our services.
“We need your help to ensure that those who need urgent care can receive it without delay. Emergency Departments are not the best place for non-urgent issues.
“If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 999 or go directly to an emergency department. However, if your issue is not urgent, we ask you to consider other healthcare options:
- Local Pharmacies: For minor health concerns.
- Your GP: For routine medical needs.
- NHS 111: Call 111 or visit the NHS 111 online service for guidance.
- Urgent Care Centres: Located in Slough and Bracknell, these centres can help with less critical issues.
“Using these services appropriately will help us manage the demand on our emergency departments and ensure that those who truly need immediate care can access it quickly.”
Joint Clinical Director for Surrey Heartlands NHS, Professor Andrew Rhodes, said: “Services across Surrey Heartlands are already seeing increasing demand due to soaring flu admissions and with the cold weather warning in place the pressures on our services and hospitals are expected to increase over the coming days. We are encouraging the public to make the right choice and contact the right service for their health needs.
“As pressures on hospital services increase across the county, and with a cold health alert now in place until next Wednesday, we are asking the public to help us make sure emergency care is available to those who need it most by using the right service for their health needs.”
People in Surrey are also being encouraged to look out for their elderly neighbours and check in on any vulnerable friends or relatives.
Professor Rhodes continued: “Cold weather can make existing health problems worse particularly for the older population. Keeping warm is essential and can not only help prevent colds and flu but also more serious health problems such as heart attacks, strokes and pneumonia.”