Residents urged to stay away from 'extremely busy' A&E at Blackpool Victoria Hospital unless absolutely necessary

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals said it was "extremely busy" dealing with 105 patients in A&E this evening (Monday, November 8).

Residents were prompted to use the NHS 111 website to "keep the space and time for patients with life-threatening and emergency conditions".

A spokesman for NHS Blackpool Teaching Hospitals said: "There are 105 people in our A&E at the moment.

"If your condition is NOT an emergency, please visit NHS 111 online.

"Thank you for your support."

It comes after the Trust declared a "critical incident" last month due to the "high numbers of extremely unwell patients" turning up to A&E.

Trish Armstrong-Child, boss at the Whinney Heys Road hospital, said: "We are working closely with other health and social care partners to do all we can to prioritise our patients requiring acute hospital care and increase the flow of patients out of the hospital.

"We are also seeking mutual support where possible.

"We will continue to work hard to address the level of demand on our services and urge the public to help us, too, by using alternative health care support unless they are experiencing serious or life-threatening illnesses."

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