Greater Manchester Hospitals warn patients to expect delays at A&E today

• Hospitals warn patients to expect delays
• Emergency department to be ‘very or extremely busy’ today
• A&E waiting times to exceed four hours

Patients across Greater Manchester warned for extended waiting times at A&E as three NHS trusts raise alerts online, with emergency departments described as ‘very or extremely busy’ this morning (March 19).

Royal Bolton Hospital anticipates waits exceeding four hours, according to a bulletin on the Bolton NHS Foundation Trust website.

Meanwhile, Tameside alerts patients to ‘extremely busy’ conditions, with the emergency department labelled as very busy.

‘Very busy’

The Northern Care Alliance, managing Salford Royal Hospital, the Royal Oldham Hospital, and the Fairfield General Hospital, also flags ‘very busy’ emergency departments. This follows similar warnings issued last week by  trusts overseeing eight Greater Manchester hospitals, as reported by the Manchester Evening News.

Concerns mount as patients report waits over 12 hours in A&E, with some enduring delays for a bed exceeding a day. Internal sources speculate these alerts might stem for intense pressure to meet NHS targets, amid heightened governed scrutiny. As the strain on healthcare services persists, patients are urged to anticipate delays and exercise patience.