- East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust has declared a critical incident after beds at William Harvey Hospital in Ashford reached full capacity.
- The trust cited ongoing and exceptional demand for services, warning that emergency department visitors face extremely long waits unless presenting with life-threatening conditions.
- Patients requiring non-urgent medical assistance are being advised to contact NHS 111, their GP, a pharmacy, or an urgent treatment centre.
- Declaring a critical incident enables the trust to access extra support across the health system to manage urgent admissions and safely discharge patients.
- Scheduled procedures and appointments are currently under review, though patients should assume they are going ahead unless told otherwise.
IN FULL
Kent hospital declares critical incident as all beds are full
