West Yorkshire hospital trusts issue urgent plea over swamped A&E departments

Hospital trusts, including Bradford Teaching Hospitals and Airedale, are warning of long waiting times for patients to be seen in their A&E departments.

In some cases, patients may be waiting for up to 12 hours as the treatment of those with life-threatening illness or injury is prioritised.  

The West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT) - the six hospital trusts in West Yorkshire and Harrogate - is urging patients to only attend their local A&E in genuine, life-threatening situations.  

The plea comes as hospital trusts publish their most recent A&E attendance figures, showing a 14.2 per cent increase in attendances compared with the same week in 2021.  

Meanwhile, the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust urged: "Please use our services wisely and keep emergency ambulances available for those in a serious or life-threatening condition."

'Unprecedented demand'

"The number of patients seeking treatment at our Emergency Departments has been high all winter and over the last few weeks has been unprecedented," said Dr Richard Keeble, clinical director for emergency medicine at Airedale Hospital. 

“The most urgent and life-threatening cases take priority, which means that unfortunately people coming in with less urgent issues are experiencing longer waiting times. 

“We’re asking everyone to think carefully before coming to A&E. 

"Members of the public can really help by making sure that if they do choose to come to A&E for treatment, that it is the best place for them to go to get the right care, as soon as possible. 

"Our Emergency Department is for accidents and emergencies only, such as severe chest pain, difficulty breathing, significant head injuries and broken bones.  

Dr Andrew Lockey, Consultant Physician in Emergency Medicine with Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, said: “It’s really important that people only come to an Accident and Emergency Department if they really need to.

"Our hospitals are extremely busy, and people are having to wait a long time to be seen. 

“Over the past two weeks we’ve faced huge challenges with the sharp uplift in the number of people attending Accident and Emergency. This places additional pressure on our teams who are responsible for treating patients with serious and life-threatening conditions.  

“If you are unwell and are unsure which healthcare service you need, call NHS 111. A highly-trained clinical advisor will direct you to the most appropriate service.”