Ambulances queue for A&E spot
Ambulances outside Pilgrim Hispital.
PATIENTS were left waiting in ambulances outside Pilgrim Hospital earlier this week – as the Accident and Emergency department was too busy to deal with them.
Ambulances were seen queuing outside the Sibsey Road hospital on Monday, waiting to drop off the patients inside .
A witness said that at one point there were nine ambulances waiting outside the facility.
United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust, which runs Pilgrim, said the hospital was having a busy period, meaning non-emergency cases had to wait their turn.
A spokesman said: “Pilgrim Hospital is currently experiencing high levels of demand; this means that we are experiencing some bed pressures. The Trust has plans in place to deal with the increase of patients requiring urgent care.
“As part of our forward planning for the winter period we have an escalation plan to put extra capacity in place when necessary. This plan calls for us to review our non-emergency activity, ensuring that we keep cancellations to a minimum and prioritise anyone who is clinically urgent.
“We are currently working in collaboration with our partners such as East Midlands Ambulance Service and have increased capacity both within the hospitals and across the health community.”
Patients who do not need emergency treatment are being advised to seek help from other NHS services at periods of peak demand.
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Weather for Boston, Lincolnshire
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 26 mph
Wind direction: East
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