News

The Critical Incident at Salisbury District Hospital was stood down at 4:55pm on Friday, 15th July. However, we continue to encourage our local community to help reduce pressure on the hospital, and only attend A&E if they are experiencing a life threatening condition. Alternatives to A&E include the Salisbury Walk in Centre and NHS 111 online and by phone.  For minor illness local community pharmacists can provide advice and a range of over-the-counter medicine and treatments.

At 07:50 this morning Salisbury Hospital declared a critical incident due to multiple operational pressures including increased length of ambulance delays, increased staff sickness and increasing number of patients awaiting to be discharged to another setting. To reduce pressure on the hospital, we would like to strongly encourage our local community to help us by only attending A&E if they are experiencing a life threatening condition. Alternatives to A&E include the Salisbury Walk in Centre and NHS 111 online and by phone.  For minor illness local community pharmacists can provide advice and a range of over-the-counter medicine and treatments.

With the Level 3 Heat Health Alert this week, please follow this advice to keep safe: Stay out of the sun. Keep your home as cool as possible – shading windows and shutting them during the day may help. Open them when it is cooler at night. Keep drinking fluids. If there’s anybody you know, for example an older person living on their own, who might be at special risk, make sure they know what to do.

Salisbury District Hospital is under tremendous pressure and our A&E is very busy. Unless you are acutely ill and need urgent hospital treatment please do not attend so that we can care for patients with severe or life-threatening injuries and illness. If you do attend, please be patient and be prepared to wait.

Due to the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the community and the increasing number of inpatients testing positive for COVID-19, from today (7th July 2022) Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust is asking all visitors and patients at Salisbury District Hospital to wear face masks while in the buildings.  The Trust also encourages good hand hygiene, and when possible visitors should maintain social distancing. Dr Peter Collins, Chief Medical Officer (pictured above) says: "The public’s cooperation will mean our services are safer and our staff can work more effectively."