Patients at Royal Liverpool University Hospital's accident and emergency unit have been facing waits of up to 50 hours. Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has declared a "critical incident" due to "exceptionally high demand" on services and urged people to only go to A&E in a genuine medical emergency. The hospital said it was "extremely busy" amid a rising number of patients with flu and other respiratory conditions, prompting Liverpool Riverside Labour MP Kim Johnson to call on the government to immediately come up with a plan to increase NHS funding. Critical incidents have also been declared in the East Midlands, Birmingham, Devon, Cornwall, Northamptonshire and Hampshire.

Source: The Times January 08, 2025 03:46 UTC