Support hospital staff and help ease pressure on your local NHS

We are asking our local communities to help ease pressures on their local NHS – including by supporting hospital staff to safely discharge patients home as soon as possible to free up hospital beds.

Today (29 December), a second county-wide critical incident has been declared in as many weeks due to the large number of very poorly people arriving at local Emergency Departments (ED) who need to be admitted into hospital, with many suffering from respiratory conditions.

Those issues are made more challenging by the fact that there are currently 87 patients who are waiting to be discharged from Sherwood Forest Hospitals who have been medically fit to be discharged for more than 24 hours.

The Trust – which runs King’s Mill, Newark and Mansfield Community Hospitals – is also caring for 76 patients with flu and a further 68 patients with COVID.

Local hospitals are taking additional steps to prioritise and maintain safe services for patients, as staff aim to prioritise patients with the highest level of need and ensure that staff can continue to be able to manage emergency care.

Hospital teams are continuing to work exceptionally hard and we would like to reassure the public that despite the challenges faced, our emergency services remain open and you should continue to come forward as normal in emergency and life-threatening cases - when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.

What you can do to help

• If your relative is due to be discharged from hospital and needs to be collected, please do so as early as possible. This will help our teams and free up a hospital bed for someone waiting to be admitted.
• Only call 999 or attend A&E departments for serious accidents and for life threatening emergencies.
• Where the situation is not life-threatening, alternative support will be available through NHS111 online or by calling 111
• Pharmacies can offer over the counter advice and treat common illnesses such as colds, sore throats, stings and allergies.

Maggie Mcmanus, Deputy Chief Operating Officer at Sherwood Forest Hospitals, said: “Demand for NHS services remains high across the county right now and every hospital bed really does count when it comes to ensuring patients can access the healthcare they need as quickly and safely as possible.

“Once patients have received that vital hospital care, we know our hospitals aren’t the best place for them to continue their longer-term recovery.

“Every hospital bed really does count this winter and we all have a part to play in ensuring that we choose the right NHS service for our needs, as well as supporting our loved ones to leave hospital as soon as they are medically fit to do so.

“Please continue to support our hardworking NHS staff to ensure they can continue to focus on providing hospital care to those who really do need it most this winter.”