St George’s Hospital is ‘extremely busy’
With an ongoing surge in admissions, St George’s Hospital in Tooting is extremely busy.
The number of seriously unwell people coming into the hospital is significantly high, meaning that there are more people waiting for beds in the Emergency Department and across the hospital’s wards.
Attending the Emergency Department for non-life-threatening conditions will mean an extremely long wait. If you need medical care or advice, please speak to NHS 111, your GP, or visit a pharmacist.
Please help us protect care for those who need it most:
- Only attend the emergency department for a life-threatening illness or injury
- If a friend or loved one is ready for discharge, please help by collecting them at the earliest opportunity
Dr Luci Etheridge, Site Chief Medical Officer and Consultant Paediatrician at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“Like many hospitals, we are currently experiencing high demand, which means that the Emergency Department is extremely busy.
“We are taking action, working closely with local partners to support more patients to return home safely. Meanwhile, if a condition is not life-threatening, we encourage members of the public to help us by using NHS 111 for urgent medical advice.”
People can get help from:
- Pharmacists: Pharmacists can advise on a range of minor illnesses and can advise if a doctor is needed. Visit www.nhs.uk/service-search/pharmacy/find-a-pharmacy to find out more
- NHS 111: Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111 for urgent medical problems – both of which are 24/7 services. Help is also available for urgent mental health concerns in south west London and Surrey by calling 111 and selecting the “mental health” option
- The NHS website: This is the UK’s biggest health website and contains advice on conditions and other important health information, such as treating burns and scalds and managing alcohol intake
The sooner people seek advice, the sooner they’re likely to get better. In an emergency, always call 999 or visit an emergency department. People can protect themselves and others by:
- Staying home when unwell: If someone has had an illness like flu or norovirus, they should stay home for 48 hours after symptoms stop and disinfect surfaces
- Keeping warm: People should heat their homes to least 18C in key rooms and wrap up when going outside to reduce the risk of colds, flu, and serious health issues
- Checking on vulnerable family, friends, and neighbours: Relatives and neighbours can ensure they have food, medication, and warm clothing
- Getting vaccinated: Find out how on the NHS website.
- Washing hands regularly: This helps prevent bugs like norovirus. Hand gel is not effective against this illness.
