Hospital bosses are urging people not to go to Grantham Hospital A&E unless their condition is “serious” or “life-threatening” because there is a lack of beds due to high demand.
This also applies to Lincoln and Boston hospitals. Additional beds have been made to try and cope with demand, but pressure on services at these hospitals is very high. No single incident has caused this pressure, a spokesman said.
Managers have advised people to speak to their GPs, the NHS helpline or pharmacist before contacting the emergency department.
In a statement the hospital trust said: “With the continued support of our staff, we have opened additional beds and taken other actions to meet the demand for our services. Additional ward rounds ensure people who are well enough to go home are discharged in a timely fashion which then frees up beds for other patients.”
Linconshire GPs have been told by the trust not to refer patients to hospital at this time unless absolutely necessary.