A number of A&E's in Merseyside have issued an urgent warning to people as patient waiting times soar.
Three NHS trusts including Liverpool University Hospitals, Wirral University Teaching Hospital, and St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals are asking people to only use A&E "in an emergency" due to "extremely busy" A&E departments. Liverpool and St Helens, and Knowsley both updated their patients on Twitter, while Wirral had a pop-up message on their website.
The message on Liverpool University Hospital's Twitter reads: "Our A&E departments are extremely busy - please only attend in an emergency. Consider alternatives; 111.nhs.uk, your local GP, local pharmacy, self-care or walk in centres."
