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The Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI) announced the decision to escalate to OPEL 4 allowing the hospital to take additional steps to maintain safe services for patients and cope with growing demands.
In a statement, the RLI said: “Declaring OPEL 4 enables us to bring all our partners in Lancashire and South Cumbria together to focus on one thing – the safe and timely care of all of our patients.
“As always, patient safety must take priority and we need to take action to make sure that those who are more clinically urgent get the help they need as quickly as possible.”
Immediate actions being taken by the hospital include the use of Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC), Surgical Emergency Ambulatory Care (SEAC), the Gynaecology Assessment Unit (GAU), and the Priority Admission Discharge Unit (PADU) to alleviate pressure on the emergency department.
Staff will also see cancellation of non-essential meetings to prioritise patient-facing activity, and further support will be explored through local partners and the Integrated Care Board system.
The RLI said patients should continue to attend appointments unless contacted directly, and inform the hospital in the event that they cannot attend.
The hospital said: “Our teams continue to work exceptionally hard; and we would like to reassure our patients and the public that in spite of the challenges faced, essential services remain fully open for anyone who needs them so if you require urgent medical help, please continue to come forward.
“The public can help us manage these periods of demand by ensuring they are seeking help from the most appropriate health services, and only attending A&E for serious accidents and emergencies. If you are unwell, visit NHS 111 online for 24/7 advice about the most appropriate care for your needs.”
