Press release – January 2 2018

2018/003

Health and care services in Herefordshire are urging people to look after themselves and their neighbours following a busy start to 2018.

Pressure on Herefordshire’s health and care services has been significant and unrelenting over the festive and New Year period. As a result, many patients are continuing to experience long waits at the Emergency Department at Hereford County Hospital.

Jon Barnes, Chief Operating Officer at Wye Valley NHS Trust said: “We traditionally expect high pressure on our services over the festive period and across the New Year holiday. This rise in demand materialised and our Emergency Department remains under extreme pressure.

“Staff across all services in Herefordshire - health, ambulance, and local authority - are working extremely hard to cope with the demand.

“We are advising people that they could face long waits in our Emergency Department while we treat those most in need, and we are urging them to consider alternatives to a trip to the Emergency Department - contact their GP practice during open hours or use NHS111 or see a local pharmacy if they are unwell but it’s not an emergency.”

Dr Ian Tait, GP and Clinical Chair at Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “All partners are working together to ensure people are cared for appropriately.

“We know there is ongoing pressure on ambulance services, Emergency Department, primary care (GPs) and social care so we are also reminding people to use services considerately during this extremely busy time of year.

“We also want to encourage people to stay healthy and it’s not too late to get your flu jab if you are pregnant, over 65, a carer, young children or those with certain chronic lung conditions, heart disease, kidney disease and those with weakened immune systems.”

Ends

Note to editors:

Wye Valley NHS Trust is a provider health services across Herefordshire and beyond.

The Trust exists to improve the wellbeing, independence and health of the people we serve. We are the leading provider of health care in Herefordshire.

By working closely with our partners, we can make good our promise to deliver a quality of care we would want for ourselves, our families and our friends.

With an estimated annual turnover of around £180 million, we employ around 2,700 plus staff. We aim to build new relationships between our staff, patients, service users and their carers with the wider community.

For further information please contact the Trust communication team on 01432 372928 or 01432 355444 x5105.