FOR three consecutive days University Hospitals Dorset has been asking patients to “think carefully” before visiting one of their hospitals. 

Both Poole General Hospital and Royal Bournemouth Hospital are warning the public of “extreme pressures” felt by the services as the emergency departments struggle to cope with patients being admitted. 

On Tuesday UHD asked people to only visit the emergency departments for serious or life-threatening injuries or illnesses so doctors and nurses can “focus on those who need us most urgently”. 

Read more: Ambulances queueing outside Poole Hospital due to 'exceptional demand'

Bournemouth Echo: Ambulances queueing up outside Poole A&E last monthAmbulances queueing up outside Poole A&E last month (Image: NQ)

UHD is asking patients’ friends and families not to visit them in hospital if they are feeling unwell, particularly if they have covid symptoms, in order to protect the vulnerable patients and staff. 

A spokesperson for University Hospitals Dorset said: “Our emergency departments at UHD remain under pressure with a high number of patients attending.  

“We always prioritise our patients to ensure the most in need are seen soonest and this can cause delays for some patients for which we apologise.  

“Where appropriate, we do ask patients to contact 111 first to ensure that our emergency departments are the best place for their care or if there is a better place for them to be treated.  

Bournemouth Echo: Ambulances queueing up outside Poole A&E last monthAmbulances queueing up outside Poole A&E last month (Image: Daily Echo)

“We are continuing to work closely with our partners across Dorset NHS to also ensure that when patients are medically ready to be cared for in the community they are able to leave with a suitable ongoing package of care to help free up space for new patients coming in.  

“This will help ease the pressure across our emergency departments.” 

Earlier this week, UHD’s CEO thanked hospital staff for going “above and beyond” during a “challenging few days”. 

Ambulance services have been seeing long delays whilst they wait outside A&E - with one first responder unit from Wimborne reporting a five hour wait which they say is a "daily occurrence".

A spokesperson for the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) said: “The whole health and social care system has been under sustained pressure for many months now. 

“Our performance has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, partly due to handover delays at emergency departments."