Keep QA Hospital’s Emergency Department for emergencies only

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust is asking members of the public to only use its Emergency Department for life threatening conditions due to pressures on site.

The Emergency Department at the Queen Alexandra Hospital, in Cosham, is experiencing high levels of demand.

John Knighton, Medical Director at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, said: “We are seeing an increase in patients with Covid at Queen Alexandra Hospital and also staff sickness. Our priority is to provide the safest care possible, and we can only do this by ensuring only the sickest and most urgent cases come to our ED. We are asking our community to only come to hospital if it is an emergency such as serious blood loss, suspected stroke or heart attack, or loss of consciousness.

“Patients who do not need to be seen in ED should go to their local Urgent Treatment Centres or call 111 for advice. Please help us and know where to go for treatment.”

Urgent Treatment Centres near you:

• St Mary’s Urgent Treatment Centre (PO3 6DW) 8am – 8pm
• Gosport Urgent Treatment Centre (PO12 3PW) 8am -10pm
• Petersfield Urgent Treatment Centre (GU32 3LB) 8am – 8pm

Other ways people in the community can help:

• Families and loved ones collect patients as soon as they are ready to be discharged, to free up beds for those who need them.
• Choose which service might be best if you are unwell and need medical care – consider a pharmacy, your GP, or visiting the urgent treatment centre unless it is urgent or a life-threatening emergency
• Stay away from our hospitals if you have symptoms, or are a contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19

Find out more about urgent and emergency care.