A critical incident has been declared at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
The trust, which runs the Queen’s Medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital
A critical incident has been declared at an NHS Trust after its A&E department saw some of the highest attendances on record, with 100 patients still waiting to be seen.
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) said patients are facing “unacceptable and lengthy waits on corridors” while staff work under “extreme pressure”.
The trust, which runs the Queen’s Medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital, said in the last two weeks it has seen three of the highest attendances on record, with 2,000 more A&E visits in September this year compared to September 2025.
NUH declared a critical incident on Tuesday, while more than 200 patients in its hospitals are safe to leave, which is equivalent to nearly eight wards.
The trust said resources have been diverted from some areas because of a particularly high number of cardiology patients who “require intensive levels of care over prolonged periods of time”.
Tracy Pilcher, chief nurse at NUH, said: “We are seeing significant pressures across our hospitals and in particular in our A&E department, where we have more than 100 patients waiting to be seen and have seen the highest attendances on record.
“Not just once, but three times in two weeks.
“In the last 24 hours, staff have been working hard to do everything they can to mitigate the pressures, focusing on getting patients seen and home quickly and safely.
“Despite this, we still find ourselves in an incredibly difficult position today and have declared a critical incident to protect our patients and support our staff.”
Ms Pilcher said the trust is “very sorry” for the significant waits and care provided in corridors, which is “not the way our staff want to work or our patients want to be seen”.
She continued: “Please be reassured that we are doing all we can and hope that the actions we are taking will improve the situation as soon as possible.”
Ms Pilcher urged anyone with a family member who is ready to go home to collect them as soon as possible.