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Hospital on Highest Alert: Patient Safety at Risk
25 Feb
Summary
- Royal Lancaster Infirmary declared highest alert OPEL 4.
- Patient safety is at risk due to significant growing demand.
- Hospital implements measures to manage rising patient numbers.
The Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI) has escalated to OPEL 4, the highest level of alert on the NHS Operations Pressure Escalation Levels system. This critical status signifies that the hospital is facing "significant and growing demand" to the extent that "comprehensive care" cannot be delivered, placing patient safety at risk.
The University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Trust, which manages RLI, stated that while Furness General Hospital is also experiencing pressures, the OPEL 4 declaration specifically addresses the high demand at RLI. This is not the first time the hospital has faced such a situation, having triggered a similar alert in December due to increased patient numbers.
In response, the trust has initiated immediate measures to alleviate the pressure. These include maximizing the use of alternative services like same-day emergency care and priority admission discharge units, focusing community efforts on preventing admissions, and canceling non-essential meetings to free up clinician time for patient care. Support is also being sought from local partners and the integrated care board.
The trust emphasizes that patients should continue to attend scheduled appointments unless directly advised otherwise. They also encourage the public to assist by seeking help from the most appropriate health services and reserving A&E visits for severe accidents and emergencies, thereby aiding the hospital in managing these periods of high demand.
