The Emergency Department at Hereford County Hospital remains under severe pressure due to the number of patients it is currently seeing.

Last weekend the Trust saw an increase in the number of patients attending with a range of serious conditions - including hip fractures, respiratory conditions and cardiac problems.

The pressure on services has continued and staff are having to prioritise patients to ensure those who need urgent care are treated quickly, which means those with minor ailments are having to wait longer.

To avoid long waits, the Trust has repeated its advice that people should consider alternatives before turning up at A&E if their condition or injury is not an emergency. These alternatives include:

• Telephoning NHS 111

• Visiting their local GP

• Visit a local pharmacy

• Using the GP walk in centre at ASDA in Hereford,

• Attending the Minor Injury Units at Ross-on-Wye and Leominster Community Hospitals

The Trust continues to work with the West Midlands Ambulance Service and the commissioners for healthcare in the county, the Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, to manage the situation.