Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) has stood down the critical incident declared earlier this week following significant improvements in pressures across its hospitals.
The trust confirmed on Wednesday afternoon (21 October) that the critical incident had ended after a substantial reduction in the number of patients waiting to be assessed in its Emergency Departments.
A&E resuscitation and major trauma services have also been restored, along with the trust’s cardiology admissions pathway.
The critical incident was declared on Tuesday 20 October following exceptionally high demand across NUH hospitals, including Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospital.
At the time, the trust reported that more than 200 patients were in its Emergency Departments, with over 100 waiting to be seen.
NUH said it had experienced three of its highest A&E attendance figures on record during the previous two weeks, while September 2026 saw 2,000 more attendances than the same month last year.
High numbers of cardiology patients requiring intensive levels of care for prolonged periods had also placed additional pressure on hospital resources.
In its latest update, the trust said conditions had improved sufficiently to stand down the critical incident, although services remained busy.
It warned that some patients could still experience long waits in Emergency Departments despite the reduction in pressures.
NUH thanked hospital staff for their work during the incident, as well as partner organisations and members of the public for their support.
The trust said: “We would like to thank our staff for working incredibly hard to care for our patients. It’s been a real team effort to help alleviate those pressures as much as they can.”
Patients and families are still being asked to help maintain improvements by arranging prompt collection of relatives who are medically ready to leave hospital, freeing up beds for those awaiting admission.
NUH is also urging people to use NHS services appropriately, advising that 999 and A&E should be used for serious accidents and life-threatening emergencies.
People needing urgent medical advice can contact NHS 111 online or by telephone, while local pharmacies can provide advice and treatment for a range of common illnesses through the Pharmacy First service.
