A UK hospital has declared a critical incident and is restricting services to life-threatening emergencies only, as it struggles to cope with a sharp rise in demand driven by extreme heat.
Published on
22/06/2026 - 18:49 GMT+2
East Surrey Hospital has declared a critical incident on Monday, meaning its emergency services remain open but are prioritised exclusively for life-threatening cases.
"Please only attend East Surrey Hospital in a life-threatening emergency,” Ed Cetti, Chief Medical Officer for Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, said.
Patients are being directed to pharmacies, general practitioners, and walk-in centres for non-urgent health advice.
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