Today (Monday 11th March) Isle of Wight NHS Trust has declared a critical incident across the acute and ambulance services to protect patient safety as the hospital and emergency department are full.
Demand for emergency and urgent care is currently outstripping the number of beds available, which is leading to unacceptable delays in care and admission.
Lauchlan: Collect relatives or friends as soon as they are ready to leave
Victoria Lauchlan, Interim Chief Operating Officer at the Trust said,
“We currently have a high number of people in hospital beds who are waiting for onward care arrangements in the community. We are working as an Island healthcare system to do everything we can to ensure we can help better support these people to be discharged home with a package of care or to Care and Nursing Homes.
“At this time we are asking people to help by collecting their relatives or friends as soon as they are ready to leave and helping with any additional care and support at home.”
Pearce: We are asking for everyone’s support
Juliet Pearce, Director of Nursing, Midwifery and AHPs added,
“To protect the life-saving services we provide we are asking for everyone’s support including using your local healthcare services appropriately.
“You can help by visiting 111 online or speaking to your pharmacist, GP or practice nurse in the first instance for support with coughs, colds, rashes and diarrhoea and vomiting. We are here if you need us but please be patient if you need to use our hospital services as our teams are doing all they can.”
News shared by Isle of Wight NHS Trust, in their own words. Ed
