Increased pressures in local health and care services

1 October 2024

Local Emergency Departments are extremely busy and we are taking urgent steps to restore capacity in our hospitals and ensure that patients continue to receive safe and effective care.

We are grateful to staff across the system who are working very hard to maintain services at a very challenging time.

As part of our response to pressures, hospitals will continue to prioritise prompt discharge, working in partnership with local social care services, and this may mean that patients who need to be discharged to residential or nursing care may not be offered a choice in where they go.

Members of the public can help us to help them, by using the right service for their needs and helping loved ones to return home promptly once they are ready to be discharged.

Please remember that if you go to ED with a non-emergency condition you may be directed to an alternative service, so before attending consider if other services would be more suitable and contact NHS 111 if unsure where to go.

Further information about local services including urgent treatment centres, minor injuries units and community pharmacies, is available on our service finder page.