Ambulance service and hospital clash over A&E

A hospital in the Black Country today clashed with West Midlands Ambulance Service after asking it to divert patients from its accident and emergency department.

New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton says all patients not classed as seriously ill should be taken to clinics and walk-in centres instead.

But ambulance bosses have refused the demand, saying the move would be neither "appropriate nor possible".

The dispute has exposed the strain within the NHS as it struggles to cope during the busy winter period.

New Cross is operating under severe pressure with no capacity in A&E and long waits for patients to be admitted.

Chief executive David Loughton claims all non-urgent category C patients could be seen quicker elsewhere, allowing it to focus on the most serious patients.

He said: "We are struggling to avoid lengthy delays in essential services. There are other locations where these patients can be better served, such as the Phoenix Centre walk-in centre.

"As well as easing the pressure here this would create a more efficient service where patients would be seen and treated more quickly."

West Midlands Ambulance Service Murray MacGregor said: "It is simply not appropriate nor possible to take all category C patients to walk-in centres or minor injuries units. The Phoenix Centre is only open for nine hours a day."

He said ambulances were already taking an increasing number of patients to the centre. He added that the ambulance service currently took around 65 per cent of calls to A&E — one of the lowest rates in the country.

Winter weather and sickness has put big pressure on the NHS. Figures revealed about 200 people a day are seeking treatment at Dudley's Walk-in Centre over the festive weekend, double the amount seen last year.