BRADFORD Teaching Hospitals’ Accident and Emergency (A&E) department is currently very busy. Our A&E colleagues are doing all they can to treat those with the most urgent need first. Unless it’s an emergency, please visit 111.nhs.uk or call NHS 111 FIRST. Trained advisors will direct you to the right service for you.
Due to a rise in the number of A&E attendances, people visiting the unit with less urgent issues may experience long waiting times.
A spokesperson for Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “Our A&E department is currently very busy, and people with less urgent issues are experiencing longer waiting times.
“We’re also seeing a sudden surge in young children with respiratory infections usually only seen in winter. The rise in out-of-season cases, in line with similar increases across the country, comes after there were far fewer infections during winter due to COVID-19 restrictions put in place, so many children will not have developed immunity.
Think carefully
“We’re asking everyone to think carefully before coming to A&E. People can really help by making sure that if they do choose to come to A&E for treatment, that it is the best place for them to go to get the right care, as soon as possible. Our Emergency Department is for accidents and emergencies only, such as severe chest pain, difficulty breathing, significant head injuries and broken bones.
“Using an alternative to A&E when you aren’t seriously ill – such as calling NHS 111, consulting your GP or visiting your local pharmacist could mean that you end up waiting less time to receive care.”
NHS England data shows that 13,379 patients visited A&E at Bradford Teaching Hospitals in July this year, up 40 per cent from July 2020, and up six per cent on the 12,584 visits recorded during June 2021.