Morriston Hospital: Stay away unless seriously ill, patients warned

The A&E department of a major hospital can only provide a "limited service" due to ongoing staff shortages, made worse by Covid sickness.

Morriston Hospital in Swansea warned its emergency department can only admit patients with a life-threatening illness or serious injury.

Nurses and healthcare workers are being asked to volunteer to work on Monday evening as it is so busy.

The health board is asking patients to use alternatives where possible.

In a tweet, Swansea Bay University health board which runs the hospital said: "URGENT: Calling Swansea Bay nurses and HCSWs [Health Care Support Workers].

"We are currently extremely busy and looking for volunteers to work extra hours this evening."

Earlier another tweet from the health board said: "A staff shortage worsened by Covid means we can only provide a limited service at Morriston ED over the bank holiday weekend.

"ED is for life-threatening illness or serious injury only. Please use alternatives whenever possible."

Chair of the Welsh Intensive Care Society, intensive care consultant, Dr Richard Pugh said staffing is "always the major issue in terms of providing critical care, in particular critical care nurses".

"Workforces absences through illness and self-isolation requirements are a worry heading into the coming weeks, if the current community transmission rates continue as they appear to be doing at the moment." he added

"At times, units in the last week have said essentially, look we're close if not at the point of being full at the moment and we need to be transferring patients across between units.

"The double whammy of staff absence and an anticipated increase in demand for critical care service together are going to be difficult."

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has also reported staffing pressures.

In a statement, it said, "We would appeal to local people to adhere to the national guidelines to help prevent the spread of the virus in our communities.

We would ask that people only attend our hospitals if absolutely necessary at this time."

Care homes in Wales are also reporting "significant staff shortages" with some "really struggling" due to the same issues of sickness and isolation.

"We're on a war footing, we're going to have a very difficult January at least, it's almost certainly going to get worse before it gets better," said chair of Care Forum Wales, Mario Kreft.

"Some homes have only been able to survive by sharing staff from other homes."

He added that one care home he knew normally had 12 people on shift but this had fallen to three due to sickness and isolation rates.

"It's very difficult to see how the essential services, like the NHS and social care… are going to be able to put enough people to the front line," he added.

A Welsh government spokesperson said: "We have taken early and decisive action to keep Wales safe in light of the spread of the highly-transmissible Omicron variant.

"We continue to work with all sectors including education, health and transport to prepare for a variety of scenarios.

"Preparations continue across all public sector organisations in Wales to prepare for staff absences so we can keep services running."

Meanwhile, Cardiff and Vale University and Swansea Bay University health boards have both begun to offer walk-in clinics for the booster vaccinations.

A new clinic has opened at the Princess Royal Theatre in Port Talbot.

The Cardiff health board is now running walk-ins in Cowbridge and Barry.