Morriston Hospital in Swansea has announced the highest alert level as more than 80 people are waiting for beds. The hospital said its emergency and unscheduled care services are under extreme pressure, with a significantly high number of acutely unwell emergency patients waiting for beds. The public has been advised not to attend the accident and emergency department unless they are very seriously ill or severely injured. The surge in demand is related to a drop in temperature, which has caused more illnesses.
The Swansea Bay health board has declared a business continuity incident, indicating that the pressure on the hospital has peaked at the highest possible level. The board added that everything is being done to release patients who no longer need urgent medical care. The hospital has predicted days of intense workload and warned that seasonal pressure typically leads to more illnesses.
The pressure on healthcare services is categorized into five escalation levels, with business continuity being the highest level. Hospitals can also call major or critical incidents in exceptional circumstances, although this has not been the case with Morriston Hospital. Earlier this month, the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff declared a business continuity incident due to significant pressure.
The pressure on health care services in the UK has been particularly high in recent years, and the Covid-19 pandemic has added to the strain. During the pandemic’s peak, many hospitals had to call major incidents when the demand surged beyond capacity. The problem has not gone away, and with the winter months approaching, hospitals are preparing for higher demand at a time when long waiting lists are causing concern
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