A Welsh health board went to the highest alert level - known as a black alert - as the NHS comes under intense pressure with high winter demand, backlog of cases and staff absence with continued Covid disruption.
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board declared a “business continuity incident”, the highest escalation level available. It lasted for 48 hours from 1pm on Monday until lunchtime on Wednesday, February 23. Cwm Taf's major hospitals include the Royal Glamorgan in Llantrisant, Prince Charles in Merthyr and Princess of Wales in Bridgend.
It is the first time in the pandemic that the health board has been forced to bring in the emergency measures and the health board said there was “exceptional demand throughout the whole system”.
Read more: The people living in constant fear of going blind as pressure on NHS eye care services grow
A spokesperson for Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB said: “This week, in line with a number of health boards across Wales, we have been experiencing exceptional demand, particularly in our emergency departments, but throughout the whole system.
“In recognition of this, on Monday (February 21) at 1pm, we declared a business continuity incident, which is the highest escalation level available to us.
“As a result of this, and the efforts of our staff and of key partners, we have managed to alleviate the situation, and the last 24 hours has seen some improvements across our sites.
“At 1pm (on February 23) we downgraded the high escalation level. However, the situation remains a challenge and our teams continue to be under immense pressure, but at a level more usual for this time of year.
“As always, the safety of our patients, our communities, and our workforce remains our number one priority.”
The board apologised to anyone who had longer waiting times as a result of the exceptional demand.
It also put out a message on its Facebook page asking people to consider possible alternatives before going to its hospital emergency departments.
Dr David Bailey, Chair of the BMA Welsh Council, said the NHS across Wales was at more pressure now than at any other time this winter.
He said while many people feel the pandemic is easing generally, pressure in the health service is not.
He said there was “a perfect storm” of staff absence, backlog of work from the pandemic and intense demand for services across the board. This could mean hospitals had to shut to admissions for lack of beds and send patients to other areas. That created a domino effect across the system.
Dr Bailey said it “should not come as a shock” that the health board had moved to the highest level of alert.
“Alerts are common to health boards. It means all patients are directed away. Because they only have so many beds they will have to move to close to routine cases and to all but emergencies. My understanding is that south Wales particularly is under pressure.
“But pressure tends to spread as cases are sent elsewhere. The specialisms most under pressure now are child psychiatry and child and adolescent mental health services.”
Dr Bailey said the NHS was under “intense pressure” across Wales and across services. He said staff were “demoralised” after two years of the pandemic and sickness is up.
“There is still a very substantial amount of Covid in the community - 400+ cases per 100,000 people. Although fewer are sick and in ICU beds because of the vaccine the numbers are still huge.
“Sickness among NHS staff is running at around 8-9%. Normally sickness runs at around 5.5%. There is also a huge backlog of around 200,000 waiting more than 36 weeks to be seen.
“Some premises are not fit for purpose and there are not enough beds.
“It is particularly bad now because it is the middle of February and the peak of winter pressure.”
Dr Bailey said that while vaccines meant less people get very ill from Covid, those needing treatment are not fit by definition and therefore they are still more vulnerable.
Describing how staff are feeling he said BMA surveys showed moral is down.
“Everybody is knackered, tired, demoralised. Staff are worried they are not able to treat people and are seeing ambulances parked for hours (outside hospitals). that bears down and makes you feel you are not doing your job.”
To get the latest WalesOnline newsletters emailed to you directly for free click here.
