Hospitals in Lincolnshire have declared a “critical incident” over “extreme and unprecedented” staff shortages. The trust has said due to the ‘significant staffing pressures’, additional steps are being taken to maintain services.
The United Lincolnshire Hospital NHS Trust (ULHT) has insisted that “essential services remain fully open for anyone who needs them” and urged people “to come forward for care” if they needed to. The most recent data available show 150 members of staff were self-isolating on Boxing Day.
ULHT is one of the biggest trusts in the country and includes Lincoln County Hospital, Grantham and District Hospital, Pilgrim Hospital in Boston and County Hospital Louth.
An internal document leaked to the media on Sunday said the main cause was the rapid increase in staff sickness across two of its sites, Lincoln county hospital in Lincoln and Pilgrim hospital in Boston.
In a statement, ULHT’s medical director, Dr Colin Farquharson, said: “As a result of significant staffing pressures due to absence related to Covid-19, we are having to take additional steps to maintain services.
“Our staff 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 people should continue to come forward for care.”
He added that people could help by getting their Covid booster vaccine “to protect themselves and their families and reduce pressure on health services”.
