HOSPITAL chiefs are urging people to use alternatives to its Emergency Department after experiencing a high level of demand in the past two days.
A significant number of patients visiting Hull Royal Infirmary have had to be admitted.
Staff are now urgently advising patients to use alternatives, such as minor injury units and walk-in centres, where possible.
Jonathan Wood, operations director for Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "Hospital services are always subject to peaks and troughs in demand, but the winter period places additional pressure on services as we see more people with multiple or complex illnesses.
"Work is ongoing within our hospitals and our services at the moment to create additional capacity, but this will not happen in time to assist with the current pressures we're experiencing.
"Once again, our staff are doing an amazing job in helping to care for everyone who comes through the doors.
"But while we are seeing more seriously ill people arriving at hospital, we are also seeing a significant number of people who could have received an appropriate level of treatment elsewhere, and probably more quickly too.
"To ensure we can concentrate on the very sickest and most vulnerable patients, we would ask for everyone's cooperation at this time and urge them to explore local alternatives for healthcare advice and treatment."
Yesterday, it was announced the opening hours of Bransholme minor injury unit would be extended with immediate effect to provide a seven-day service, from 9am to 8pm, until March.
Information is available by visiting the NHS Choices website at www.nhs.uk or by calling 111.
