The hospital has urged patients to only use A&E in a 'serious or life-threatening emergency' as it is facing 'severe and sustained pressure,' forcing it to declare a critical incident

Royal Stoke University Hospital

A critical incident has been declared at a major hospital in Stoke-on-Trent after it reported being under "severe and sustained pressure" for the past week.

The Royal Stoke University Hospital is urging patients to only use A&E in a "serious or life-threatening emergency" after demand increased further over the weekend. Relatives are also being asked to make sure they're ready on time to collect loved-ones who have been discharged.

Royal Stoke chief operating officer Katy Thorpe said: "We have taken the difficult decision to declare a critical incident. This helps us to take additional measures to maintain safe services for our patients and those in the community waiting for an ambulance.

General view of Royal Stoke University Hospital

"Locally we are working with our NHS and local authority partners to ensure that people who need hospital and emergency care can get treatment quickly and to identify any additional support that allows us to discharge patients who do not require acute hospital care.

"As anticipated, the pressure is greatest in our emergency departments which are facing continued challenges as patients cannot be admitted to a bed promptly." The critical incident also covers County Hospital in Stafford, reports Stoke on Trent Live .

Royal Stoke chief medical officer Dr Diane Adamson added: "During this time the emergency departments will continue to see the sickest patients first, which means, for some patients, there may be much longer delays than usual. We continue to ask the public to help us by only using AandE in a serious or life-threatening emergency.

"When we're discharging patients, we ask that their friends or loved-ones pick them up from hospital as soon as possible and have everything they need at home. I would like to thank our staff for their ongoing efforts during this extremely challenging period and the public for their understanding and co-operation."