Warning as Shropshire's A&E departments under pressure
Shropshire's A&E departments are facing a high level of demand, prompting a warning from health bosses.
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), which runs Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Telford's Princess Royal Hospital, said 45 patients were waiting to be seen in its A&E departments at 11am yesterday.
Last week, more than 2,200 people attended its accident and emergency departments.
Sara Biffen, interim chief operating officer at SaTH, said: “Both of our A&E departments are currently under extreme pressure.
“We would ask people to think carefully before coming to A&E and face what could be a long and unnecessary wait.
"Many conditions can be seen much more quickly using alternative services, and A&E should only be used for the most serious injuries and illnesses.
“We are taking all the steps that we can to ensure that our patients receive the best care possible, as quickly as possible, and we would like to thank our staff for their continued hard work.”
Non urgent medical conditions can be dealt with at pharmacies, minor injuries units or by calling 111.
People are reminded they can also book urgent appointments at GP practices or use the Shropdoc GP out-of-hours service on 0333 222 66 55.
