Critical incident at hospital stepped down

The critical incident at Southmead Hospital lasted three days

A critical incident declared by a hospital due to "extremely high patient numbers" has been stepped down after three days.

Since Tuesday, North Bristol NHS Trust had asked people not to attend Southmead Hospital emergency department unless they required "critical, life-saving care".

But the Trust announced on Thursday afternoon that the hospital was in an "improved position" to cope with the demand.

However, it still expects the weekend to remain busy and asked that people consider using alternative services where appropriate, such as 111 or local pharmacies.

A spokesperson said: "If your loved one is in hospital and ready to go home, please help them by supporting their discharge home as soon as possible.

"We are incredibly grateful to our staff for their efforts and for the understanding of patients during this particularly busy time."