Plymouth hospital declares critical incident

Derriford Hospital is running at 100% capacity

A critical incident has been declared at Plymouth's Derriford Hospital because of pressure on its services.

Bosses said the hospital was under extreme pressure as capacity reached more than 100% in the second such incident in a month.

They added that the pressure was easing, but it was still at a critical level.

The hospital's managing NHS trust said on X, formerly Twitter, it was "really busy, so please choose the right service for you".

Nearly 300 people attended the hospital's Emergency Department on Friday with similar numbers throughout the weekend.

On Sunday, 23 ambulances were also reported waiting outside the hospital at one point, with more patients who had travelled independently also queuing to be seen.

Hospital bosses said people should use NHS 111 to "signpost you to the most appropriate service, but, in a life-threatening emergency, call 999".

The hospital covers parts of Devon and Cornwall.