Weston General Hospital has announced that they are to temporarily stop accepting new patients, including into its A&E department, as of 8am today. The move is due to a high number of Coronavirus admissions, and is sure to cause alarm among government ministers hoping to ease lockdown measures from 1st June.
A spokesperson from the hospital said:
"This is a precautionary measure in order to maintain the safety of staff and patients in response to the high number of patients with Coronavirus in the hospital.
"The decision to take this step has been clinically-led, and is supported by partners across the wider Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) health and care system.
"Arrangements are in place for new patients to continue to have access to treatment and care in other appropriate healthcare settings in the area should they need it."
Dr William Oldfield, medical director at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, said: “As with any hospital, the number of patients with COVID-19 will frequently change as people are admitted and discharged.
“We currently have a high number of patients with COVID-19 in Weston General Hospital. Whilst the vast majority will have come into the hospital with COVID-19, as an extra precaution we have taken the proactive step to temporarily stop accepting new patients to maintain patient and staff safety.
“This is a clinically-led decision and we are being supported by our system partners to ensure that new patients receive the care and treatment they need in the appropriate setting, and we are continuing to provide high quality care to existing patients who are being treated in the hospital.
“We have a robust Coronavirus testing programme in place for patients and staff to identify cases quickly, with appropriate measures taken by clinical teams as required.
“We will keep the situation under constant review.”
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