Oxford hospital emergency attendances up in hot weather

The John Radcliffe Hospital was put on the highest level of alert

Hospital emergency departments have experienced increased attendances due to the recent hot weather and high pollen levels.

Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) had 777 emergency attendances on Monday, an increase of 42% on the previous week.

OUH asked people to "choose their healthcare services wisely" in the coming week.

Junior doctors strike from Wednesday to Saturday, causing a further strain on services.

'Stock up on medicine'

Rachael De Caux, chief medical officer of the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: "Emergency departments across our area have seen extremely high levels of attendances over the past 24 hours, including many people with complications as a result of the high pollen count and warmer temperatures."

She advised people to keep hydrated, stock up on hayfever and asthma medicine if needed, and keep cool to "reduce the chance of needing urgent medical attention".

People needing urgent, but not life-saving medical help, are advised to use NHS 111 online where teams can signpost users to the most appropriate local service.

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