Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Charlotte Hadfield

Alder Hey's warning to parents as its A&E battles 'extremely high' demand

Parents and carers are being urged to only bring their children to A&E at Alder Hey Children's Hospital if they need urgent medical attention.

The plea comes as the hospital struggles with "extremely high" patient numbers in their accident and emergency department this afternoon, September 14.

It's the second time the hospital has issued the warning in the last 24 hours through its social media accounts.

READ MORE: Boris Johnson confirms 2021 winter Covid-19 plan

According to its website, current waiting times stand at approximately four hours or more, with higher priority patients being seen to first.

A spokesperson for Alder Hey tweeted: "Please only come to our A&E if your need is urgent. We are currently experiencing extremely high levels of attendance in the Emergency Department

"If your need is not urgent, you could face a lengthy wait

"Our emergency department is available to children and young people for emergency care only. It can get extremely busy so we would ask you to consider alternative options before attending."

The hospital use the following traffic light system to categorise children and young people arriving at A&E based on the medical attention they require:

  • Green / see and treat category – we feel your child is safe to wait for a consultation, these children will wait the longest within the department
  • Yellow category – your child needs to be seen and will be prioritised but there will still be a wait
  • Orange category – Your child needs to be seen urgently, they will be seen as soon as a clinician is available. They will be taken into a room as soon as possible
  • Red category – your child is very unwell and needs to be seen immediately

Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.