Critical incident at William Harvey due to patient surge

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust has declared a critical incident at William Harvey Hospital due to increased patient admissions.

Sarah Hayes, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer for the trust, explained that a critical incident is used to manage situations where hospital pressures exceed normal capacity.

Hayes said the hospital continues to function, but additional help from partners across Kent and Medway is received to expedite patient discharge and manage the situation.

She said, "What that means is when we declare a critical incident, the hospital is still running, but it means that we get some more help from our partners across Kent and Medway to ensure that people can go home more quickly."

Patients are encouraged to seek care nearer to home or through NHS 111 unless in an emergency situation, allowing emergency departments to prioritise urgent cases.

Hayes clarified that booked operations and outpatient appointments would proceed unless patients are notified otherwise.

Duration and management of critical incidents

A critical incident typically lasts 24 to 48 hours, though this is subject to ongoing review.

Hayes said, "We hope that after 24 to 48 hours we'll be able to start coming out of what we call the critical incident process, but we review that every two hours."

The trust is preparing for the winter season and increased demand as flu cases begin to rise, recommending flu vaccinations as an additional preventative measure.

Recommendations for the public

Hayes highlighted the importance of remote healthcare options where possible and emphasised getting a flu vaccination.

She said, "So at the end of this week, your GP and others will have access to your flu vaccinations. Please make sure you have those as we go into this winter period as well."

These measures aim to maintain patient safety as priority during the critical incident, with ongoing updates provided to patients, staff, and the public.

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