As ambulance strikes begin, Milton Keynes Hospital A&E is already under extreme pressure with hundreds seeking emergency care

MK Hospital’s A&E department is already under significant pressure this week, as ambulance staff begin their strike action.

Hundreds of people – an “unprecedented number of patients” – have sought emergency care at over the past seven days, hospital bosses have revealed.

One nightmare day saw a new patient arrive every four minutes for a 24-hour period. As a result, wait times are longer than usual.

Meanwhile staff at South Central Ambulance, the unit that serves the whole Milton Keynes, began their strike action today (Wednesday).

The service is asking people to only call 999 during the strike if it is a medical or mental health emergency, when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.

Ambulances will be dispatched where clinically appropriate, say bosses.

Yesterday (Tuesday) the ambulance service declared a critical incident because it was under so much pressure.

A spokesman said: “South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust is currently under extreme pressure which escalated over the weekend and has continued into this week. 999 calls are up 50% on this time last year and 111 calls up 75% over the same period.

“As a result the Trust has declared a critical incident.”

Meanwhile staff at the hospital’s A&E department are working flat out to cope with the extreme numbers of sick people needing help.

The department would usually expect to see around 250 patients in a 24-hour period. But on Monday this week almost 200 patients had already been treated in the Emergency Department by 2pm.

A spokesman said: “The hospital currently has almost 90 escalation beds open, following an extremely busy weekend – with high numbers of patients attending the ED having fallen and sustained fractures, patients with influenza, and children with respiratory symptoms.”

Medical Director, Dr Ian Reckless, said: “The hospital, and particularly the Emergency Department, remains under significant pressure with higher numbers of patients seeking urgent care.

"We are working hard to see patients quickly, but patients will be waiting longer than usual to be seen and some patients who are less clinically urgent than others will be waiting significantly longer than usual.

"If you do not need emergency care, please do not attend the ED and use the 111 service or your GP.”

Planned appointments are continuing as usual.

This week the hospital reintroduced mandatory wearing of face masks in a bid to keep infections at bay.

The spokesman said: “In light of the rising number of flu, respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV) and Covid cases across our communities, we are asking all staff, and visitors to wear a face mask in any areas where clinical care is provided – this includes the Emergency Department, inpatient wards and clinical rooms in our hospital.”

He added: “We understand the negative impact that the wearing of masks has, especially on the communication between staff and patients, however it is an important measure in protecting our staff, our families and our patients.

“We also recognise that for some people, wearing a face covering may be difficult due to physical or mental health conditions, and these people will remain exempt.”