Royal Bolton Hospital is facing 'immense pressure' and people are being urged to think twice before attending.

The hospital has faced pressures recently but health bosses say during the weekend that pressure increased significantly.

And now staff are urging patients to think twice about how urgent their medical problem is and to use other services first such as 111, going to the GP or local pharmacist.

Hospital chiefs said the number people attending A&E department is  high and staff are working through everyone who needs their help as soon as they possibly can.

The trust said that people who do not have an urgent need will experience extremely long waits while they treat the people who need them the most.

Tyrone Roberts, chief nurse at the Royal Bolton Hospital said: “We are experiencing significant demand and demand over and above what we have usually experienced when we have said we are feeling challenged.

“We of course are here to help those who absolutely need us, and we wouldn’t anyone to stay away who does need the services of A&E.

“For those who could have care elsewhere, it would really help in terms of reducing the congestion in the department and help us to focus on those who absolutely need to be here.”

The hospital also discussed how a high number of people are waiting to be discharged and being at home can be the best place for them to recover.

The hospital said that they will be transferring some of our patients home with immediate support.

Mr Roberts added: “Flu is really high at the moment and therefore its not a great time to be in hospital unless you really need to be here.

“We are seeing a real increase in those admitted with flu symptoms and needing treatment.”

The hospital is urging people to stay away from A&E and access the self help and advice unless they are really worried or a clinical emergency in which A&E is the only option.

They are also urging people to get vaccinated against flu if they are not already.

A spokesperson for the trust added: “Our focus right now is on maintaining our essential services safely to allow us to care for people in the right place at the right time.

“It isn’t just one service experiencing isolated pressure, but there are a number of things happening that have resulted in us needing to take action.”