Lincolnshire hospitals under COVID pressure

Patients are facing long waits at northern Lincolnshire A&E as hospitals deal with a spike in demand.

There has been a sudden increase in people attending over the last two days.

This is partly due to coronavirus but also a range of other health problems.

The Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Grimsby and Scunthorpe hospitals, has issued advice for people who need urgent treatment.

Chief Operating Officer Shaun Stacey said: “The hospital has seen a sudden rise in people attending with a wide range of symptoms over the last two days.

“Obviously we’re seeing a small increase in people attending who have COVID symptoms or are experiencing concern that they may have symptoms.

“But we’re seeing all sorts of things – people with tummy troubles, people with chest infections and people who are short of breath.”

The trust has issued a statement online saying: “Do you really need to come to A&E? Your health will always be our priority and our teams are working extremely hard to provide emergency care to those who need it.

“However, our hospitals in Scunthorpe, Grimsby and Goole are experiencing very high levels of demand.

“We also have high numbers of patients on our wards and increasing numbers of COVID-19 positive inpatients. If you have an urgent medical problem and you’re not sure what to do, please call the NHS 111 line for advice from their specialist clinical team.

“You can also speak to your GP or pharmacist for advice and, if you live in North East Lincolnshire or are registered with a GP in the area, you can call the Single Point of Access (SPA) clinical team on 01472 256256.

“Anyone coming to A&E who doesn’t need urgent emergency treatment is likely to have a long wait, as we will always prioritise seeing patients in the greatest need of our care. Thank you for your understanding.”