Hospital demand heats up ahead of strike

Visits to emergency departments increased in South-west London on Monday, with more people coming through the doors than ever before.

More than 1,250 people went to St George’s in Tooting, a rise from the previous record of 1,170, and a huge increase on a typical day of about 800 attendances.

The influx came just hours before hundreds of junior doctors prepared to strike across the hospitals group.

Meanwhile, Croydon hospital also experienced high demand which easily surpassed their previous highest numbers of attendances.

Croydon University Hospital saw 622 patients needing to see an emergency care consultant, 16 per cent above the previous busiest summer day on record on June 17, 2021.

Dr Richard Jennings, group chief medical officer at St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group, said: “We have never been busier, and with the upcoming strikes it’s going to be a very challenging week.

“We’re here, as always, for those who need us. But now more than ever, we need the public’s support in those cases where it is not an emergency.

NHS 111 online should be your first port of call in these instances, as it can direct you to where you need to go.”

Junior doctors will strike across the country for 72 hours, starting today until 7am on Saturday June 17.

The strike comes as the British Medical Association attempts to secure the doctors a pay rise “that fully restores pay for junior doctors after the more than 26 per cent drop they have suffered over the past 15 years”.

Action will impact services at hospitals, with some appointments, procedures and operations likely to be postponed.

With temperatures rises this week, more people, especially those in high-risk groups, can suffer from illnesses like heat exhaustion and dehydration, as well as sunburn.

Dr Jennings said: “This weather has undoubtedly contributed to the rise in people – some who are vulnerable and very sick – coming to our emergency departments.

“Help us to prioritise care for those need it the most, and use our services wisely.”

If you need urgent medical help use NHS 111 online first, which can direct you to where you need to go. Pharmacies can offer advice and over-the-counter medicines for a range of minor illnesses.

To find out more about staying safe during hot weather, visit the NHS’s website.

Pictured top: St Georges Hospital in Tooting (Picture: Richard Rogers)