More than 110,000 NHS staff were absent on New Year’s Eve and a number of hospital trusts have declared “critical incidents”Hospitals in Bristol have declared “internal critical incidents” as a result of rising pressures on services. The University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and the North Bristol NHS Trust, which run hospitals including the Bristol Royal Infirmary, the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and Southmead, said that they were at their “highest state of alert”. SponsoredThe Healthier Together Partnership, which represents health services across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, said: “Our whole health and care system is extremely busy, and remains in its highest state of alert. Both acute trusts in our area declared internal critical incidents across the new year bank holiday weekend. This meant they were able to open up extra beds and ward space, as well as request additional

Source: The Times January 05, 2022 09:43 UTC