What led to the critical incident at William Harvey Hospital?

The critical incident was declared due to an overwhelming number of patients, exacerbated by winter illnesses and respiratory viruses, leading to full hospital beds and high demand on emergency departments.

Has the critical incident at the Kent hospital ended?

Yes, the critical incident declared at William Harvey Hospital has been stood down, although the hospital remains very busy.

What should people do for non-life-threatening conditions in Kent?

For non-life-threatening conditions, the public is advised to consider alternatives such as calling NHS 111 for advice, visiting pharmacies for minor illnesses, or consulting GP practices and urgent treatment centres.

Home / Health / Kent Hospital Crisis: Critical Incident Stood Down

Kent Hospital Crisis: Critical Incident Stood Down

7 Feb

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Summary

William Harvey Hospital in Ashford faced a critical incident due to high patient numbers.
The hospital struggled with winter illnesses and full beds across all trust sites.
The critical incident has now been stood down, but the hospital remains busy.

Kent Hospital Crisis: Critical Incident Stood Down

A critical incident declared at William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, Kent, has been stood down. The East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust initially declared the incident on Tuesday due to a surge in patients, citing winter illnesses and respiratory viruses as major contributing factors. All hospital beds within the trust were reported as full.

The trust noted "extremely high" numbers of patients attending emergency departments, alongside "limited capacity" for other treatments. On Friday, the hospital remained "extremely busy," prompting a renewed appeal for the public to utilize NHS services appropriately and seek alternative care for minor issues.

Alternatives suggested included calling NHS 111 for advice, visiting pharmacies for minor ailments, or consulting GP practices and urgent treatment centres. The trust, which operates hospitals across several Kent towns, emphasized its efforts to safely discharge patients and provide community care.