Residents urged to only attend A&E at Peterborough City Hospital in emergencies to avoid delays amid "capacity pressure"

Peterborough City Hospital’s Accident and Emergency department has issued a warning over how busy it is and asked that people only attend in case they are experiencing a medical emergency or in need urgent treatment.

The department tweeted its warning by stating: “Peterborough City Hospital ED departments are busy. Here's how you can help:

“Don't come unless you're experiencing a medical emergency or need urgent treatment

“Use 111, if you're not sure, to get appropriate help

“Pick up family members or friends from the hospital.”

The North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust has said that there is no specific reason for the issues but that overall capacity issues in the hospital often lead to beds in A&E being blocked.

Michelle Cady, Chief Operating Officer at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Peterborough City, Hinchingbrooke and Stamford and Rutland Hospitals, said: “Our Emergency Departments at Peterborough City Hospital and Hinchingbrooke Hospital are very busy and continue to see high volumes of patients, including those who could possibly access the care and treatment they need by using alternative services like GP and Primary Care services, Pharmacy services and NHS 111 who will often be able to provide advice or signpost patients to the right service to meet their needs.

“Many patients will arrive at the EDs by ambulance but during a typical day the majority of patients will walk in and will not require admission to hospital.

“There are no specific underlying reasons for how busy we are at the moment, but the overall capacity pressure within our hospitals does mean that sometimes patients who need to be admitted remain in the Emergency Departments while they wait for their bed to become available.

“This can make our Emergency Departments very full at times and for this reason we are always very grateful to members of the public who seek out and use the alternatives services, when it is safe to do so, rather than coming to ED.”