People warned to avoid A&E after IT fault

People are being asked to avoid an Emergency Department if possible due to an ongoing IT incident

An NHS trust is asking people to avoid contacting the hospitals or attending the Emergency Department (ED) if possible, due to an ongoing IT incident.

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust (RBNHSFT) said the problem, which is not a cyber attack, was creating issues with admitting and discharging patients.

It has asked people to use "other routes of support" in non-emergency situations, such as local pharmacies and NHS 111.

It is not known how long the problem will last.

Posting on X just before 09:00 GMT on Thursday, RBNHSFT asked the public to "seek alternatives to our Emergency Department except in case of serious and life-threatening emergencies".

A spokesperson directed people to local pharmacies, GPs, NHS 111 and the Urgent Care Centre in Broad Street Mall, Reading, which is open from 08:00-20:00 GMT.

The problem is affecting the trust's wi-fi system. Issues with accessing some computer records means some patients are having to be admitted and discharged using pen and paper, creating delays.

The trust suffered another IT incident in September 2022 when it asked people not to go to the ED. It took about two hours for the problem to be resolved.