Hospital chiefs at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH), one of Britain’s biggest NHS trusts, are begging families and carers to leave work early and collect patients. The aim? To discharge 200 people by this Friday amid a severe critical incident.
Critical Incident Declared Amid Overcrowded Hospitals
NUH is facing “unacceptable and lengthy waits” in corridors after a huge spike in demand. The trust has admitted patients who could safely go home are stuck in beds longer than necessary, causing a major backlog across Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham City Hospital, and Ropewalk House.
Andrew Hall, NUH COO: “We have been working tirelessly all week to mitigate the pressures we are currently seeing, but this has not had the desired impact, and so declaring a critical incident is necessary to protect patient safety.”
Pressure Mounts from Respiratory Illness Surge
- Rise in respiratory cases putting huge strain on A&E capacity
- More than half of adult beds are occupied by patients over 80, who need longer stays
- Staff working extra shifts to free bed space under extreme pressure
Hall warned the public to “consider carefully whether or not you need to attend A&E” as the NHS is juggling intense demand and staff shortages.
NUH’s Second Critical Incident in Two Months
NUH declared a critical incident in January due to winter infections and staff absences. Now, just two months later, it’s back at a crisis point.
With over 19,000 staff, NUH is Nottinghamshire’s largest employer. The scale means disruptions impact thousands of patients across multiple hospitals.
The trust continues ramping up efforts to boost capacity and speed up discharges. Families able to pick up patients are being prioritised to free beds for emergency cases.
The surge in respiratory illnesses is piling on winter pressures, with elderly patients in particular needing longer, intensive care stays. NUH has not said when it expects to resolve the crisis.
