Hampshire: No hospital beds as critical incident reinstated

Hospitals in Andover, Basingstoke and Winchester are among those feeling the strain

There are no beds available at three hospitals in Hampshire, forcing the NHS to reinstate critical incidents across the county.

Hospitals in Andover, Basingstoke and Winchester are all full, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) said.

Nearly all other hospital beds were occupied, the region's NHS Integrated Care Board said.

It warned patients could face delays in receiving care.

St Mary's Hospital in Newport, Isle of Wight, also declared critical incidents in September and August

HHFT said its three hospitals have about 100 Covid patients, a "comparable and rising number of flu cases and a high number of medically-fit people waiting to be discharged".

"Health and care services throughout Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are currently experiencing incredibly high demand," NHS's Integrated Care Board's chief nursing officer Nicky Lucey said.

"We recognise during this period of significant pressure that it is not always possible to give this care as quickly as we would like."

The board said urgent treatment centres, GP practices, minor injuries units and ambulance services were all experiencing "incredible pressure".

It appealed to people to obtain flu jabs and to liaise with hospitals about relatives who are ready to be discharged.

Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth is among those to have declared a critical incident

Five out of seven NHS trusts in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight were on critical incident alerts due to winter pressures, the NHS reported on 20 December.

Three of the trusts - Hampshire Hospitals, Portsmouth University Hospitals and South Central Ambulance Service - stood down the alert status on 22 and 23 December.

Critical incidents are also currently in force in neighbouring Dorset, Sussex and other parts of England.

Hospital trusts declare a critical incident when they are worried they are on the brink of not being able to provide critical services, such as emergency care.

It paves the way for measures to be taken, such as redeployment of staff.

NHS England said 3,746 patients were in hospital last week with flu.