Lincolnshire hospital bosses plea over A&E pressures

Managers said it was a very busy time for Lincolnshire's hospitals

Hospital managers in Lincolnshire are urging people only to go to accident and emergency if it "absolutely vital" because of pressure on services.

A United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust spokeswoman said there was currently a "high demand" for beds at its hospitals in Lincoln, Grantham and Boston.

Managers are asking that only people with very serious or life-threatening injuries or illnesses attend A&E.

The spokeswoman said no single incident had caused the increased pressure.

Additional beds have been made available to cope with the demand.

'Freeing up beds'

Managers advised people to to speak to their GPs, the NHS helpline or pharmacist before contacting the emergency department.

In a statement, the hospital trust said "With the continued support of our staff, we have opened additional beds and taken other actions to meet the demand for our services.

"Additional ward rounds ensure people who are well enough to go home are discharged in a timely fashion which then frees up beds for other patients."

The hospitals are liaising with Lincolnshire GPs to make sure patients who do not require hospital care are not referred to hospital at this time.