A Welsh health board has warned its emergency departments are under "extreme pressure" with long waits possible. Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board issued the warning on Tuesday morning. The health board covers Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil, the Princess of Wales in Bridgend and the Royal Glamorgan at Llantrisant.
In statement that went out on social media just before midday, the health board said: "Please be advised that our emergency departments are under extreme pressure. Please only attend our ED if you have an emergency that cannot wait until you can see your GP or other healthcare services such as your pharmacy, dentist, optician. You can expect to wait a considerable time if it is not an emergency. Help us help you by using the right service, the right way at the right time."
Patients with any concerns, or unsure of what to do, are urged to use the online NHS 111 Wales service. The statement finished by saying: "Our staff are working hard to care for as many patients as possible."
The warning comes two days before thousands of nurses look set to strike after last-minute talks between union officials and the Welsh Government failed. Nurses across Wales will walk out on Thursday, December 15 and Tuesday, December 20 in a row over pay.
Union members of the the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) announced on November 9 that nursing staff at all NHS employers across Wales had voted to take strike action over pay and patient safety, but Aneurin Bevan University Health Board did not meet the legal threshold of a 50% turnout. The union claims an experienced nurse has seen their pay decline by at least 20% in real terms due to successive below-inflation awards since 2010 and has asked for 5% above the RPI rate of inflation which stands at over 12%. Read more here.
Last weekend, the Welsh Ambulance Service declared a "business continuity incident" due to the extremely high demand on its services. Known by many as "black alert," the Ambulance Service confirmed it was unable to keep-up with demand for emergency medical care and support.
As temperatures plummeted, the Service had more than 2,000 emergency 999 calls on Saturday (December 10), including 200 "immediately life-threatening red calls". Plus, NHS 111 Wales received more than 10,000 calls on the same day, in what was the "busiest day ever" for the service.
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