Plea to residents to help ease pressure on Warrington Hospital

AN urgent plea has been made to Warrington residents to use the most appropriate NHS service to enable the town’s under-pressure hospital to treat the most serious, life-threatening conditions.

Almost one year into the pandemic, Warrington Hospital is under huge pressure treating people with COVID-19 and other serious health conditions, with 206 patients currently with confirmed coronavirus and 24 people being treated in the intensive care unit (ICU).
Residents are being advised to call NHS 111 first if they need urgent care, but the condition is not life-threatening. By contacting NHS 111 first, patients will get expert advice from health advisors, nurses, paramedics, doctors and other medical specialists.
Depending on the individual needs of patients, NHS 111 can book time slots at the most appropriate local NHS service, including urgent care centres and the emergency department at Warrington Hospital.

When should you use NHS 111?
You should use the NHS 111 service if you urgently need medical help or advice, but it is not a life-threatening situation. For less urgent health needs, you should contact your local pharmacy in the first instance.
How does it work?
The NHS 111 service is staffed by a team of fully trained advisors, supported by experienced nurses, who will ask questions to assess your symptoms. They will then give you the healthcare advice you need, or direct you to the most appropriate local service.
Chief Executive of Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Professor Simon Constable, said: “The number of patients with COVID-19 remains high and our staff are working really hard to provide the care and compassion that patients need, including urgent and cancer care.
“After almost a year into the pandemic, they are tired and really need our residents and communities to continue to follow the national guidance and stay at home wherever possible.”
Council leader, Cllr Russ Bowden, said: “Our hospital is doing an amazing job at treating people who have become very sick with coronavirus. They are doing all they can to ensure people are receiving the highest quality care in an extremely pressured environment, so we need our residents to support them by using NHS services appropriately.
“Please call NHS 111 first, if your condition isn’t life-threatening and follow the advice provided. Doing so will ensure you get the right care, in the right place, by using the most appropriate local health service. This will enable staff to more effectively manage the flow of patients through the hospital, which will help to reduce waiting times for patients, ease pressures on staff, and ensure people who need urgent care can be treated.”
Warrington Borough Council’s Chief Executive, Professor Steven Broomhead MBE, said: “We are seeing continued, intense pressure on our hospital despite the outstanding efforts of the staff working there. Please help by not going to hospital or dialling 999 unless you are in an emergency or a life-threatening situation. Our hospital needs your help and cooperation to reduce the pressure it is facing. Hospital staff have been heroes throughout this pandemic and need our support now more than ever.”
Patients requiring services at their local GP practice should continue to contact their surgery online or via phone in the usual way. GP practices in Warrington are now set up to deliver the coronavirus vaccination in line with the national priority list, starting with those most at risk first – if you are eligible, you will be contacted in the coming weeks.
You can call NHS 111 when you need medical help fast, but it’s not a 999 emergency. NHS 111 is a fast and easy way to get the right help, whatever the time. The service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and calls are free from landlines and mobile phones.
For more information about coronavirus in Warrington, visit warrington.gov.uk/coronavirus