A “MAJOR incident” has been declared at the Royal Bolton Hospital as its A&E reaches breaking point.

Bolton NHS Foundation has announced an emergency plan — used in the case of a natural disaster or multi-vehicle smashes — as doctors and nurses struggle to cope with the overwhelming number of patients in need of treatment.

All non-emergency operations have been cancelled, staff have been taken off non-urgent work to help and additional transport has been arranged for people being discharged from hospital in a desperate bid to free up beds.

Managers took the rare step of announcing the ‘major incident’ after a crisis meeting on Tuesday, where the overwhelming demand on services was discussed.

The Royal Bolton is the latest trust in the country to make the statement, as hospitals in Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, North Yorkshire, Surrey and Staffordshire recorded a massive rise in admissions.

The Bolton News reported last week how patients are having to wait almost 12 hours to be found a bed in a hospital ward over Christmas because of a record number of patients coming to hospital.

Andy Ennis, the Trust’s Chief Operating Officer, said although some patients were attending A and E who could have received advice or treatment elsewhere, this was not the main problem.

He said: “We have some seriously ill patients who do need to be admitted and our main issue has been the difficulty in quickly freeing up beds and finding places for those patients who no longer need hospital care.

“Calling a major incident is a mechanism by which we can focus all our efforts on delivering safe care for those whose need is most urgent.”

Charity Age UK has stepped in to help with the crisis with its new Home from Hospital Service, which helps people over 65 who live alone or are carers when they come out of hospital after a stay on the wards or a visit to A&E.

The trust failed its A&E waiting times targets over the Christmas period because of the winter pressures — alongside every other hospital in Greater Manchester.

The Royal Bolton also has the highest number of patient handover delays in the city region, as revealed in The Bolton News on Tuesday.

Health bosses are urging people to only go to A&E if they really need it, and reminding them that advice and treatment can be accessed elsewhere.

Mr Ennis apologised to anyone who has had their operation Mr Ennis added: “Hospital staff  have been working closely with our staff in community services as well as our GP partners and staff in social care to quickly arrange appropriate care for people when they leave hospital, but they are under pressure too. I apologise to anyone who has been affected by the current situation, but I repeat that we are doing this in the best interests of patient safety.

“I’d also like to pay tribute to our staff, who have been working really hard under such difficult circumstances – thank you.”

David Crausby, MP for Bolton North East, said he believes one of the major contributing factors was the closure of the town centre walk-in centre at Lever Chambers in July 2012.

He said: “The closure of the walk in centre is part of the issue, and I do accept the other major issue is social care.

“The place is full of people that should really being dealt with in social care and certainly not in hospital.

“More and more pressure is being placed on the NHS. The health secretary Jeremy Hunt says there are more doctors and nurse, but there is huge pressures being put on them.

“I think there is an absolute crisis coming on the NHS this year, and whoever wins the general election will have to address it.”

Sue Long, chief officer at the Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) which buys services at the hospital, said they were aware of the difficulties the Royal Bolton were facing.

She said: “We have been working closely with the Trust, North West Ambulance Service and Bolton Council during the winter months to ensure that patients are cared for safely during this busy time”

Bolton CCG has a campaign which advises people on seeking advice or treatment other than at A and E such as at GP surgeries, pharmacies. Information can be found at www.letsmakeitbolton.co.uk