Flu combined with the recent cold snap continues to pile pressure on Worcestershire Royal Hospital, the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch and Kidderminster Hospital and Treatment Centre.
With pressure showing no signs of easing, a petition to allow empty County Hall carparks to be used by hospital patients and their families as a temporary measure continues to gather support, especially given the pressure the hospital site in Worcester is under.
BUSY: The ambulance station at the emergency department at Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester pictured on New Year’s Day 2025 (Image: James Connell/Newsquest photos)
Cllr Andrew Cross, the Green city and county councillor who set up the online petition, said it had already garnered 1,550 signatures as people continue to express support for the suggestion.
The petition was launched under a month ago on Friday, December 13.
Backed by other Green councillors and Liberal Democrat Mel Allcott, Cllr Cross said he hoped an interim solution could be found until a park and ride at Sixways becomes operational and a multistorey carpark is built near the hospital.
SENSIBLE: Cllr Andrew Cross and other Green councillors have called on County Hall car parks to be opened up for use by hospital patients, visitors and staff (Image: James Connell/Newsquest photos)
Stephen Collman, Managing Director of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Our emergency departments remain extremely busy. Despite the best efforts of our teams who worked exceptionally hard, this has meant longer waits than we would want for some of our patients at times, and we apologise for that.
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“With high levels of flu and other winter infections in our community, and with a cold snap and more snow forecast, we are doing everything we can to keep our patients safe and keep our services running effectively.
“We currently have more than 100 patients with flu in our hospitals. To protect our patients, visitors, and staff we have reintroduced mask-wearing in clinical areas across our sites.”
The trust is also limiting visiting to our hospitals as follows: One visitor per patient in Emergency Departments and Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) areas; a maximum of two visitors to a bed in all other areas; we are advising that children under the age of 16 do not visit general ward areas.
“All these measures will be reviewed on a daily basis, but our hospitals are likely to remain extremely busy for some time to come. We would ask local people to help us by doing everything they can to keep themselves well over winter. This may include taking up the offer of the covid or flu jab when invited so that they can keep themselves, their loved ones and their friends protected, and ensuring they are using the NHS 111 service to access the right health services for non-emergency health needs.”
A Worcestershire County Council spokesperson said: “While the main County Hall offices are not in use, the car park is still needed to accommodate staff and visitors to the wider County Hall campus including Wildwood.
“The County Hall car park has also been used to accommodate specialist contractor vehicles and equipment for ongoing investigative works.”