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News & Media

Media Release

Date: 27 February 2015

Health and social care partners collaborate to tackle high demand for hospital services

Partners across the local health and care system are working closely together to manage the current high demand for services at local hospitals.

Hospitals in the region have seen an increase in attendance to the Emergency Department coupled by a recent outbreak of norovirus in the community which has resulted in a number of ward closures.

The RUH, along with partners across the local health and social care system including Bath and North East Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Bath & North East Somerset Council, Sirona Care & Health, Wiltshire CCG, Wiltshire Council and South West Ambulance Service met this week (26.02.15) as part of their programme of regular meetings to oversee how the system is operating and to focus on managing the increased pressure on services as effectively as possible.

Francesca Thompson, Chief Operating Officer at the RUH said:

“We have been incredibly busy for a number of weeks and our emergency department remains under pressure with high numbers of admissions and a norovirus outbreak affecting bed availability. We are working hard to improve the flow of patients through the hospital and, as always, internal processes are in place to help us manage demand effectively.

“In line with hospitals up and down the country, we are continuing to see a high number of poorly people that need care, which is why we would urge people to only attend A&E if it is a serious life threatening emergency.

"We would like to thank the community for their help during our extended visiting restrictions which are currently in place and to ask that if you have had diarrhoea or vomiting please do not visit the hospital until you have been clear of symptoms for 48 hours."

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