A&E unit closed overnight for at least 18 months

The A&E unit of Weston General Hospital was suddenly closed for at least 18 months due to a lack of staff making the unit unsafe.

NHS managers in the local area’s clinical commissioning group are wanting to shut the A&E unit down for good in an attempt to regain and maintain patient safety.

If this is carried out, patients needing immediate medical care will instead be sent to nearby hospitals.

This has all come down to there not being enough staff at the hospital. NHS managers will propose to not only shut down the A&E unit, but also halve the amount of intensive care services due to there not being enough specialist staff to adequately carry out these functions. Again, patients will be sent to other hospitals if they require these services.

During this closure, patients are being sent to other A&E units in Bristol and Taunton– 20 and 28 miles away from their closest hospital.

A specialist Medical Negligence lawyer said: “Staffing levels within NHS hospitals is an ever-growing concern for all patients being admitted into A&E departments requiring the appropriate care as soon as possible. The obvious risks associated with the closure of an A&E department is deeply concerning especially for those facing life threatening illnesses or injuries which require medical attention imminently.”