A CRISIS in accident and emergency resulted in two serious incidents, with patients waiting more than 12 hours for care.

At one stage, 37 patients were waiting at the West Cumberland Hospital’s emergency department on Easter Monday.

Bosses, who must aim for staff to see patients within four hours, have confirmed that two patients waited over 12 hours. 

Such a wait is deemed so long that it must be treated as a ‘serious untoward incident’, prompting chief executive Stephen Eames to write to those patients affected to explain and apologise.

Helen Ray, North Cumbria University Hospitals Trust’s chief operating officer, told yesterday’s board meeting that both Whitehaven and Carlisle A&E departments and under significant pressure.

Both hospitals are struggling to meet the national target of seeing 95 per cent of patients within four hours.

Latest figures show that only 81 per cent are currently being seen within that time frame, dropping from 88.4 in the previous quarter.

The problems peaked on Monday, when the Whitehaven hospital struggled to cope with the number of patients turning up.

One reader told the News & Star that the department was full to capacity, with patients waiting in corridors because there were no beds.


Helen Ray Mrs Ray confirmed that at one stage there were 37 patients waiting in A&E, leaving staff under significant pressure.

She is now urging people across the area only to use A&E in genuine emergencies to help ease the problems.

She told the board: “We had two 12-hour breaches at West Cumberland Hospital. We are undertaking a detailed review of this and will be writing to those patients affected.

“Activity is extremely high. We have to look at the systematic reasons for that.”

The last time a 12-hour breach was recorded was February 12.

Mr Eames has now told staff that any wait of more than 10 hours must be reported to him directly.

In the meantime bosses are urging people to use other health services where possible and only attend A&E in genuine emergencies.

Other services include GP practices, the out-of-hours doctor service Cumbria Health on Call (CHOC) and minor injuries units.

In some cases advice can also be sought from local pharmacies.

Anyone who is unsure should call the NHS 111 non-emergency number, where they will be directed to the most appropriate service.