NHS trust's third critical incident in three months

Royal Shrewsbury Hospital is once more subject to critical incident status

An NHS trust has declared its third critical incident in three months amid service pressures.

The acute sites run by Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust (SaTH) are said to be facing extreme challenges, forcing a system-wide push to free up beds.

It means non-essential work has once again been cancelled following similar moves in November and December.

Health bosses said people could help in a number of ways, including only phoning 999 or attending A&E for serious and genuine incidents.

A critical incident is the highest alert level used by the NHS and allows bosses to take immediate steps to create capacity.

Dr Nick White, chief medical officer for the NHS in Shropshire, said the pressures were due to ambulance handover delays and high demand for urgent emergency care.

"Regrettably, this means that patients are having to wait long times to be seen in our A&Es," he said.

"Colleagues are working tirelessly to provide prompt and safe care for all and are working hard with all partners to enhance patient flow, increase capacity, and speed up discharges to free up beds."

Dr White apologised for any inconvenience and said the trust remained committed to prioritising patients with the highest needs.

Shropshire has the second highest critical incident rate in the country behind Plymouth.

There have been 24 critical incidents declared between April 2021 and January 2024.