Patients were urged to avoid attending Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester unless necessary after a series of power outages disrupted the hospital’s operations.
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust confirmed that electricity had been restored following the outages and reassured the public that patients were safe.
However, the trust warned that staff were continuing to deal with the consequences of the disruption and asked people to use alternative NHS services where possible.
The warning particularly concerned the hospital’s Emergency Department.
Hospital Confirms Power Has Been Restored
In a statement published on its official Facebook page, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust confirmed that the Winchester hospital had experienced power problems.
The trust said:
“Power has now been restored and our patients are safe, but our teams are continuing to work through the impact of the outage.”
The statement provided reassurance about patient safety but indicated that restoring electricity had not immediately resolved all the operational difficulties caused by the disruption.
The number of outages, their duration and the areas of the hospital affected have not been disclosed.
The trust has also not confirmed the underlying cause of the power interruptions.
Patients Asked to Use Alternative NHS Services
Following the incident, the trust issued an appeal asking people to avoid travelling to the hospital where alternative care was available.
Its statement continued:
“For now, please avoid coming to the hospital, particularly our Emergency Department, and use alternative NHS services where possible.”
The request was intended to help staff manage the aftermath of the outage and reduce additional pressure on services.
Patients with non-life-threatening conditions can contact NHS 111 for advice about suitable treatment.
Other options may include local pharmacies, GP services or urgent treatment facilities, depending on the patient’s symptoms and the availability of services.
Anyone experiencing a life-threatening medical emergency should still call 999.
The trust’s statement did not announce the closure of its Emergency Department.
Hospital Teams Working to Restore Normal Operations
Royal Hampshire County Hospital, on Romsey Road, provides emergency care alongside a wide range of medical and specialist services.
It is one of the principal hospitals operated by Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The power outages prompted staff to assess the effects on hospital operations after electricity was restored.
It has not been confirmed whether the incident affected diagnostic equipment, scheduled appointments, surgical procedures or individual departments.
There has also been no confirmed report of patients needing to be evacuated because of the outages.
Further Updates Awaited
The power problems occurred during a period of unsettled weather across southern England.
However, the trust has not established any connection between the hospital outages and the severe weather.
The hospital’s general website continues to identify its Emergency Department as available for emergency care, although the trust’s specific social media appeal requested that people use alternative services wherever possible during the recovery period.
Patients with scheduled appointments should follow communications from the hospital and contact the relevant department if uncertain about arrangements.
The trust has not provided a confirmed timescale for the completion of its recovery work in the statement supplied.
