Would-be patients have been warned that the A&E department at Royal Bolton is struggling with four times more people than it has space.
This comes after repeated warnings by Bolton NHS Foundation Trust that given the huge pressure it has faced, people should only go for accident and emergency treatment if it is absolutely necessary.
As of Monday, waiting times at A&E have lengthened to more than four hours.
As of Monday, waiting times have lengthened to four hours
A statement issued by the trust said: “Right now in our A&E we have four times more people than we have space.
“Wait times are more than four hours.
“We know it’s difficult to access the right healthcare service, but just coming to A&E isn’t right.
“We are here to help, but please help us.”
Royal Bolton Hospital
The trust most recently warned just before the bank holiday weekend that it’s A&E department was likely to be busy and appeal for people to think twice before visiting.
Staff at the hospital have faced huge pressure
At the time, medics warned that people should only come in for treatment if their needs were genuinely “life threatening”, otherwise they were advised to phone 111.
This follows on from similar campaigns over the winter months, which also saw the hospital’s resources stretched by having to deal with the effects of the Covid pandemic.
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