Princess Elizabeth Hospital returns to normal capacity after critical incident
- Princess Elizabeth Hospital has returned to normal capacity after declaring a critical incident due to increased demand
- Three elective surgeries were postponed to open temporary beds during the pressure period
- All cancer and emergency surgeries were prioritised and went ahead as planned
- No single factor was identified as driving the increased admissions
- An escalation plan is in place for the weekend if further capacity issues arise
The Princess Elizabeth Hospital has returned to normal operating capacity following a critical incident declared earlier this week due to increased patient demand.
Three elective surgeries were postponed to allow temporary beds to be opened during the period of heightened pressure. All cancer and emergency surgeries were prioritised and proceeded as planned.
Health officials said there was no single factor driving the increased level of admissions that triggered the critical incident declaration.
Elaine Burgess, Director of Care Delivery at HSC, praised staff for their response during the challenging period.
"We would like to thank our dedicated staff who performed exceptionally well during the period of increased patient numbers, which was especially challenging due to the weather conditions," she said.
Ms Burgess acknowledged the impact on patients whose procedures were delayed.
"We recognise that disruption will have been caused to service users, including those who had surgery postponed, and once again apologise for any inconvenience caused to those people," she said.
The hospital has put an escalation plan in place for the weekend in case further capacity issues emerge, though officials said they were hopeful it would not be needed.
"The situation continues to be closely monitored," Ms Burgess added.
Critical incidents are declared when hospitals face exceptional pressure that threatens their ability to deliver critical services. The measures allow trusts to free up beds and staff by postponing non-urgent procedures and redeploying resources.
Q&A
Q: Why did Princess Elizabeth Hospital declare a critical incident?
A: The hospital declared a critical incident due to increased patient demand, though no single factor was identified as driving the increased admissions.
Q: How many surgeries were postponed during the critical incident?
A: Three elective surgeries were postponed. All cancer and emergency surgeries were prioritised and went ahead as planned.
Q: What measures are in place if capacity issues return?
A: An escalation plan has been put in place for the weekend should any further capacity issues arise, though officials are hopeful it will not be needed. The situation continues to be closely monitored.
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