Critical Incident Declared Over at Shrewsbury & Telford Hospitals, Limited Visiting and Facemasks Reintroduced

The critical incident at Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) has finally come to an end, bringing relief to the county’s health services. The ‘system-wide’ critical incident, which was declared on Friday due to a surge in flu and COVID-19 patients, has also been stood down as of Sunday.

During the critical incident, SaTH had to implement measures such as limited visiting at its hospitals and the reintroduction of facemasks to help reduce the spread of infections. Vanessa Whatley, chief nursing officer at NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, emphasized the importance of utilizing other services such as NHS 111 or pharmacies for non-emergencies to alleviate the pressure on hospitals.

Whatley stated, “There is lots of places that people can get help and support and although the critical incident has now been stepped down after that burst of activity over Friday and the weekend, we have really, really got to make sure we get these messages through about the importance of using NHS 111 for non-emergencies and the pharmacies can be really helpful, especially with the symptoms of respiratory infections and things like flu as well.”

The demand on hospitals during the critical incident made it harder for people in urgent need of treatment to access care promptly. Whatley highlighted the importance of using community services for non-emergency situations to ensure quicker treatment for those who truly need it.

The declaration of the critical incident being over is a positive development for the health services in Shrewsbury and Telford, but it serves as a reminder for the public to utilize alternative services when possible to ease the strain on hospitals.