January 2nd 2025.
Winter has arrived, and with it, a surge in viruses has hit East Surrey Hospital hard. In response, the hospital has declared a critical incident to manage the high demand for services. The Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust made the announcement today after seeing a significant increase in patients needing care.
Due to the overwhelming number of patients seeking treatment, the hospital is urging those with non-life-threatening conditions to seek help from other NHS services, such as their local pharmacy or GP. This will help alleviate the pressure at East Surrey Hospital and ensure that those with life-threatening emergencies receive prompt attention.
Dr. Ed Cetti, the chief medical officer at the Trust, explained the situation, saying, "Our staff are working tirelessly to care for our patients, but the influx of winter viruses has made it challenging to maintain our usual level of service. We are doing everything we can to minimize disruption and continue to provide quality care to those in need."
For those who do need to visit the hospital, Dr. Cetti emphasized that they should only do so if their condition is life-threatening. Otherwise, they should utilize other NHS services, such as 111 online, their local pharmacy, or one of the nearby treatment centers in Crawley, Caterham Dene, Horsham, or East Grinstead.
In some cases, non-urgent operations may need to be rescheduled in the next few days, but the Trust assures that cancer treatments and urgent operations will be prioritized. Patients can also visit other NHS units during opening hours for non-life-threatening conditions, including Caterham MIU, Crawley UTC, and East Grinstead MIU.
For those who require assistance outside of regular business hours, they can call the NHS 111 line or care for minor ailments at home with the help of a pharmacy. As always, The Agency will provide updates on the situation through our Twitter and Facebook pages, and you can now receive our articles directly to your device by signing up for our daily push alerts. Stay safe and healthy this winter season.
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