Royal Liverpool Hospital A&E patients waiting up to 50 hours

The East Midlands Ambulance Service – which covers Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire – has declared the first critical incident in its history due to a combination of “significant patient demand, pressure within hospitals and flooding”.

Meanwhile, health bosses have asked people suffering from flu, Covid, norovirus or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) to stay away from the Royal Cornwall Hospital’s A&E department in Truro.

A Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust spokesman said emergency measures had been put in place which would allow managers to call for extra help and to make changes to ensure patient safety.

He said the critical incident had been declared because of “exceptionally high demands on our emergency department, especially with flu and respiratory illnesses, and the number of patients”.

The decision had been taken “to support the safe care and treatment of our patients, which is our absolute priority”, he said.

The trust said managers were working with partners to ensure that those who are medically fit can leave hospital safely and at the earliest opportunity.