This is the dramatic moment a Birmingham hospital was forced into a lockdown after an angry mob were refused entry and began threatening staff.
The gang of men turned up to Queen Elizabeth Hospital shortly after a shooting victim was admitted, causing staff to question whether they were there to “finish the job”. After being turned away, they began throwing stones and making threats to workers – who tried to explain they couldn’t let anyone in unless they were next of kin to the victim.
Security at the hospital were eventually pushed to their limits, forcing the building to enter a partial lockdown. The shocking incident, which airs in tonight’s episode of A&E After Dark, shows one staff member withholding information on the shooting victim. Speaking to camera, she explained: “You don’t know who these young people are.
Men showed up and refused to leave the premises
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Image:
Birmingham Live)
“They are saying they’re friends. This young gentleman was shot. We don’t know if these are people that want to come and finish the job. We don’t know what relation they are. Our priority is to keep the patient safe.” Despite asking them to leave, the group stayed on the premises and became increasingly abusive. The staff member was then told one person was heard making threats to staff.
She said: “There’s just been a lady standing beside that group of lads and they said if anyone approaches them they are going to attack us all. They need to go off-site completely, we haven’t got the security to deal with it.”
The men began throwing stones at staff
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Image:
Birmingham Live)
Last week, the hospital became overwhelmed by the number of patients needing treatment, with a critical incident declared by University Hospitals Birmingham. An “exceptional number” of flu positive patients presented in the first week of January requiring admission, which impacted 311 inpatients, the NHS trust said.
Along with the Queen Elizabeth in Edgbaston, the trust also runs the Good Hope in Sutton Coldfield, Heartlands in Bordesley Green and Solihull hospital. Staff introduced mask-wearing across its departments last week as they attempted to tackle the growing pressure. Chief nurse Margaret Garbett urged the public to use alternative services, including a pharmacy or calling 111, unless they were dealing with an emergency or life-threatening condition.
University Hospitals Birmingham is one of the largest NHS trusts in England, welcoming more than 2.2 million patients every year.