On Tuesday Aneurin Bevan University Health Board announced that its NHS services were under "sustained and unprecedented pressure" and could not be stabilised. It meant that a state of "business continuity", commonly known as a "black alert", was declared.
People were urged not to visit the emergency department at The Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran due to record numbers of attendances, with waits to see a doctor taking as long as 14 hours in some cases. "We have very few beds available across our hospitals to accommodate patients requiring admission," a statement read.
"We need to ask for your support and to only attend The Grange University Hospital if it is life-threatening or you have a serious injury". It clarified that these cases would include "severe breathing difficulties, severe pain or bleeding, chest pain or a suspected stroke, or serious trauma injuries, such as from a car crash".
