Bosses at Sutton-in-Ashfield’s King’s Mill Hospital are warning people to avoid coming to its Emergency Department unless they have a serious injury or life-threatening condition, after the Trust running the hospital closed one of its wards to contain a norovirus outbreak.
Sherwood Forest Hospitals – which runs King’s Mill, Mansfield Community and Newark Hospitals – closed one of its wards after nine patients contracted the highly-contagious winter virus which causes vomiting and diarrhoea.
The warning comes after the Trust had earlier revealed its Emergency Department was treating double the number of patients it was designed to care for at any one time – a position that has not improved since the warning was issued on Monday.
The early arrival of winter hospital pressures has also seen patients facing extraordinarily long delays while waiting to access emergency care, with 24 patients having been in the Trust’s Emergency Department for more than 12 hours.
Now hospital bosses are warning patients to avoid attending the Emergency Department unless it’s for treatment for a serious injury or life-threatening condition, with those attending unnecessarily risking contracting norovirus and facing significant delays.
The Trust’s Chief Nurse, Phil Bolton, said: “Our Emergency Department is here for you if you need treatment for a serious injury or a life-threatening condition, but demand for our services has significantly increased this week and our hardworking NHS staff desperately need the public’s help to manage the pressures they are facing.
“While winter is always one of the busiest times of year for our hospitals, the pressures we have seen this week are not usually seen until much later in winter, which is a real concern.
“Norovirus is one of the most common winter vomiting bugs that we see at this time of year but we have not seen this many cases since the pandemic, when the virus largely disappeared while our social contact drastically reduced.
“In most cases, people don’t need to come to hospital for treatment for norovirus, with most people being able to manage their symptoms at home by getting plenty of rest and taking lots of fluids to avoid dehydration.
“This outbreak of norovirus is making an extremely busy time in our hospitals even more complex and challenging for our hardworking teams, which is why we’re asking for the public’s help by not attending our Emergency Department unless they absolutely need to.”
What to do if you think you have norovirus
Norovirus – also known as the “winter vomiting bug” – is a stomach bug that causes vomiting and diarrhoea. It can be very unpleasant, but usually goes away in about two days.
The main symptoms of norovirus are feeling sick (nausea), diarrhoea and being sick (vomiting). You may also have a high temperature, a headache and aching arms and legs.
Symptoms start suddenly within one to two days of being infected and you can usually treat yourself or your child at home. You will usually start to feel better in two to three days.
Washing your hands frequently with soap and water is the best way to stop it spreading.
For advice on dealing with norovirus, visit the NHS111 website or call NHS 111 who can give you advice on what to do. They can also arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if you need one.
When to get urgent advice about norovirus
The NHS111 website says you should call NHS111 if:
- You’re worried about a baby under 12 months
- Your child stops breast or bottle feeding while they’re ill
- A child under five years has signs of dehydration – such as fewer wet nappies
- You or your child (over five years) still have signs of dehydration after using oral rehydration sachets
- You or your child keep being sick and cannot keep fluid down
- You or your child have bloody diarrhoea or bleeding from the bottom
- You or your child have diarrhoea for more than seven days or vomiting for more than two days
Where you can access urgent and emergency care instead
To reduce the strain on hospital services and protect vulnerable patients, hospitals are asking everyone to think carefully before visiting an Emergency Department.
You can help by:
- Making plans to collect your relative from hospital as soon as possible if they are due to be discharged and need to be collected. This will help our teams and free up a hospital bed for someone waiting to be admitted.
- Only calling 999 or attending A&E departments for serious accidents and genuine emergencies.
- When you need urgent medical attention but it’s not an emergency, find alternative support by visitingNHS111 online or by calling 111.
- Contacting your GP team for treatment for everyday conditions that do not require urgent or emergency care.
- Pharmacies can also offer over-the-counter advice and treat common illnesses such as colds, sore throats, and allergies, with details of local pharmacies – including those open out-of-hours – available online here.
