Covid’s pressure on the local NHS continues to rise after the Omicron surge, with 288 coronavirus patients occupying beds at North Midlands University Hospitals as of Tuesday. While far fewer people are seriously infected with the virus now, infection control measures are reducing overall capacity. A spokesman said: “Our hospitals continue to see extremely high levels of demand for the services we provide, along with the continuing effects of Covid-19, but we continue to prioritize those most in need of treatment and urge people to seek help when need it using NHS 111 online. “As a system across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, we had to call a critical incident. We apologize for postponing some routine procedures, but we advise patients to attend appointments or procedures unless they contact them to reschedule. We give priority to cancer surgeries. “We are very sorry for those affected by this and we would like to assure you that, despite the challenges we face, basic services remain fully open to anyone who needs them, so if you need urgent medical help, keep offering.” NEWSLETTER: Sign up for email notifications from StokeonTrentLive directly to your inbox here Read more related articles Read more related articles
