Major Incident in Essex

[roundtable]

This morning, Essex has declared a major Incident across the county for its hospitals. Staff have had leave cancelled and ambulances are waiting hours outside hospitals before their patients can be seen.

I've looked online but can't find the answer - does anyone know if a major incident has happened in Essex like this previously that wasn't linked to a one off disaster? I can't find the answer.

Pretty frightening not just for Covid patients but for anyone who falls ill or has an accident in this time.

Thinking of all the staff, patients and their families.

I don't know about Essex. But I became unwell November last year in the Midlands. And was treated in the back of an ambulance for 4 hours before i could even get into a+e. Our hospitals are usually struggling terribly at this time of year anyway.

Addenbrookes has also announced it is full. And yet off I go to teach primary on Monday.

Sorry you went through that blissfullife. I hope it wasn't anything life altering.

I know individual hospitals have always had periods of being overwhelmed this time of year due to the woeful underfunding of our hospitals but has a whole county ever declared a major Incident for all of their hospitals? It seems extraordinary. All of the main hospitals are full and they are telling people not to ring for an ambulance unless absolutely necessary.

For people with vulnerable family members that need to access hospital services regularly it must be very worrying.

Another woefully underfunded institution phlebas.

Announcement today will be interesting. Maybe they will find some money like the money they spent on the pr stunt that was the nightingale hospitals to make schools safer. Or not.

The bad weather is certainly not going to help as there will be more accidents.