Critical incident continues at East Kent hospitals

A hospital trust in Kent has reiterated a warning that people attending emergency departments with non-life-threatening conditions could face long waits as a critical incident remains in place for a third day.

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust declared the incident on Wednesday because of an IT issue affecting some services.

The trust said people attending emergency departments at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford and the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate with non-life-threatening conditions could face "extremely long" waits.

The trust says patients should assume planned procedures and appointments will go ahead unless they are contacted directly.

The trust has asked people only to attend emergency departments for life-threatening illnesses or injuries and said relatives should collect loved ones who are ready for discharge as soon as possible if they are able to.

IT teams are working to identify the cause of the problem and restore services as quickly as possible, the trust said.

The BBC understands the incident is not a cyber attack.

Patients needing medical help are being advised to use NHS 111, their GP, a pharmacy or one of its urgent treatment centres in Ashford, Canterbury, Deal, Dover, Herne Bay, Faversham, Folkestone, Margate and Whitstable.

Sarah Hayes, chief nursing and midwifery officer, said on Wednesday that teams were working "incredibly hard" to ensure patients received "safe, high quality and compassionate care".

Anyone needing urgent medical help should still come forward, and anyone unsure about where to go should call the NHS 111 service or visit the website.