A PATIENT attended A&E every six minutes on average in Morecambe Bay over a four-day period, as under-pressure staff grappled with crippling demand.

Furness General Hospital has reached level four on its escalation scale, the highest ranking of seriousness, as large numbers of people continue to arrive at its accident and emergency unit in Barrow.

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A next option above level four is to declare a major incident internally, which can see the department draft in extra staff and, in the most extreme circumstances, divert new admissions elsewhere, as happened at other sites across England last year.

Between Friday December 30 and Monday January 2, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust recorded 960 attendees at its two A&E sites, 373 at Furness General Hospital and 587 at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

It means across both sites a new patient arrived at A&E every six minutes.

More specifically, at FGH there was a new arrival roughly every quarter of an hour.


John Woodcock MP John Woodcock, MP for Barrow and Furness, said the situation at the trust showed how much pressure the NHS was under at this time of the year, with more money needed.

He said: "Local NHS staff have been doing a fantastic job as always over the Christmas period, often sacrificing important time with loved ones in order to keep services running, but it is clear that A&E services in particular are coming under massive strain.

"The government says it is putting more funding into the NHS, but locally we are seeing services becoming more crowded and difficult to access as well as staff shortages in some areas.

"We know that winter is a particularly busy time in hospitals and the government simply have to step up and provide the resources to allow local A&Es to operate effectively, and prevent local NHS staff being overworked."

Bosses at UHMBT are urging people to remember the alternative options to attending A&E and to leave visits only to serious or life-threatening injuries and conditions.

One of the problems trusts across the country are experiencing is being unable to discharge patients, particularly elderly patients who need care packages drawn up, quickly enough.


Foluke Ajayi Foluke Ajayi, chief operating officer at UHMBT, said: "We know it can be difficult when someone is unwell so if you aren't sure whether or not to attend the A&E, please ring the NHS advice line on 111 who are trained to help.

"If you have a minor illness or injury that needs attention, you can visit your nearest pharmacist, Primary Care Assessment Centre, or speak to your GP."