Covid-19: Swindon hospital declares 'critical incident'

A "critical incident" has been declared at Great Western Hospital in Swindon due to the high number of coronavirus patients being treated there.

The trust that runs the hospital says it currently has 159 patients with confirmed or suspected Covid-19.

Pressure on resources has also meant ambulance crews are "waiting a long time" to hand over patients, it said.

The hospital added it was looking at measures including bringing in extra staff from elsewhere in the region.

"Following increased pressure on Great Western Hospital, the trust has declared a critical incident," said a Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust spokeswoman.

"This is due to a large number of patients on site who are receiving care for Covid-19...as well as issues being faced by local ambulance crews waiting a long time to hand over patients to our emergency department," she added.

The trust said it was working on ways to discharge patients who were ready to go home more swiftly, in order to relieve some of the pressure.

"We are working closely with our partners across the region to look at extra staffing capacity to assist with the sheer numbers of patients needing care, as well as how we can speed up discharges for those who are ready to go home," it said.

"If a loved one needs collecting from the hospital, please do so as quickly as possible."

Kevin McNamara, chief executive of the hospital's trust, added that the number of patients in the hospital with coronavirus had exceeded that of the first wave.

"In this past week alone we have seen a 45% increase in the number of patients now in hospital because of coronavirus," he said.

"This means that the number of beds needed for Covid-19 patients reduces the beds available for other patients, so our resources are really stretched."

Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]