University Hospitals Dorset declare critical incident

The hospital trust, which runs Poole, Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch hospitals, is the latest to declare such an incident, with hospitals and health services across the country under huge pressure.

Some services at UHD's sites will 'have to be slowed down' in order to cope, hospital bosses have said.

Read more: FULL STATEMENT: Why UHD has declared a critical incident

What have University Hospitals Dorset said?

UHD's chief operating officer Mark Mould said the decision was made on Tuesday evening to declare a critical incident but it was part of ‘a planned, proactive move’ anticipating the challenges of the next two weeks in a controlled way.

Factors affecting both hospitals, which are at capacity, include staffing gaps, demand for services, Covid cases and bed shortages – fewer patients are leaving because of ongoing issues in the care system.

The UHD incident team has been stood up, based in the boardroom at Poole, and will be co-ordinating all activity across the two sites.

Day care space has had to be used in the past day or so because of the volume of patients.

Mr Mould added: “We are looking ahead to the next two or three weeks of peak pressure before we back to a recovery situation. We are going to have to slow some things down in order to make sure services like emergency, critical care and theatres are able to work as normal.”

What about other areas of the hospital?

He said some routine operations were likely to be cancelled and there could be longer waiting times in the emergency departments as those who need the most urgent attention were prioritised.

Read more: 

• Under pressure: Rising Omicron cases see public service staff shortages
• Omicron surge in Dorset likely to be at London levels soon warns health chief
• Shocking figures from intensive care show reality of Covid hospitalisations in Dorset

On Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed he would stick with the Plan B measures including work-from-home guidance, mask-wearing and Covid health passes.

At a Downing Street press conference, he argued the booster roll-out has given substantial protection and added: “So together with the Plan B measures that we introduced before Christmas we have a chance to ride out this Omicron wave without shutting down our country once again.”

Mr Johnson accepted the weeks ahead are going to be “challenging” and said “some services will be disrupted by staff absences” as he pledged to “fortify” the NHS to withstand the pressures and protect supply chains.

'Cause for concern'

Bournemouth East MP, Tobias Ellwood said: "We are seeing a pattern develop here caused not by those who are infected with Covid but those who are forced to isolate.

"I strongly encourage the government to reduce the days that are required for self-isolation given the impact this is having on our key services.

"There has been an attitude with the increasing mutations of Covid-19 that one last push and we are out of the woods.

"We need to recognise the pandemic is likely to be with us for another couple of years therefore this will mean additional bed capacity will be required if we are to have continued treatment for non-Covid illnesses as we have in the past.

"I think the government is right to limit the introduction of new restrictions.

"Nevertheless, the rising numbers of cases are a cause for concern. Given how exhausted our incredible NHS is in dealing with the pandemic for two years, the government should be looking at what contingency plans can be brought in to get through the difficult winter months."