East Kent Hospitals declare Critical Incident
Patients advised to seek alternatives for non-life-threatening conditions due to IT issue
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust has declared a critical incident today due to an ongoing IT issue impacting some services.
Patients are urged to consider alternative healthcare options, as attending emergency departments for non-life-threatening conditions may involve significant waiting times.
Suggestions for medical assistance include NHS 111, GP services, local pharmacies, or urgent treatment centres.
Details for locating the nearest urgent treatment centre and waiting times are accessible through the NHS Kent and Medway website.
The public is requested to support efforts in prioritising care for those in urgent need, only approaching emergency departments for life-threatening emergencies.
Furthermore, those able to discharge friends or loved ones from hospital are encouraged to do so promptly.
Scheduled procedures and appointments are currently under review, with an advisory to assume normal proceedings unless contacted directly.
Sarah Hayes, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer at East Kent Hospitals, said:
“Our teams continue to work incredibly hard in exceptionally busy conditions to ensure patients receive safe, high quality and compassionate care. The pressure on our urgent and emergency services is extremely high, and we are focused on supporting patients who need us most.
“Declaring a critical incident enables us to keep patients safe by drawing on additional support from our colleagues across the health system.
“As always, we would like to thank our patients and the public for their continued understanding. It’s important that anyone who needs urgent medical help continues to come forward – using 999 in life-threatening emergencies and 111 for other urgent care. Anyone who is unsure about where to go should call the NHS on 111, or visit 111.nhs.uk for advice.”
Anyone uncertain about the necessary medical response is advised to contact NHS 111 or use the 111.nhs.uk website for information.