A CRITICAL incident has been declared at Royal Bournemouth and Poole hospitals.

University Hospitals Dorset (UHD), which manages both sites, announced the move on Thursday, December 29, around 24 hours after South Western Ambulance Service took the same decision.

The incident at the hospitals has been declared due to severe and sustained operational pressures across the trust.

Emergency departments in the trust are under significant pressure, with the number of admissions exceeding the number of patients discharged.

Read more: Dorset's ambulance service declares critical incident.

By declaring a critical incident, UHD is able to take additional steps to maintain safe services for patients, and to help cope with the growing pressures.

The public can help to reduce pressure on the trust by only calling 999 in the event of a life-threatening emergency.

If you need urgent medical help or advice, call NHS 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk.

Attend minor injury units for injuries including sprains and fractures. Do not attend emergency departments, as you will be signposted elsewhere. Visit www.dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/miu for more information on the units.

Once a patient is ready for discharge, ensure they are collected as soon as possible.

A UHD spokesperson said: “Our focus is making sure our patients are safe and that we keep our critical services running. We are working with our system partners within the NHS and social care to assist us with patient flow and safe discharge.”

“We are monitoring this situation very closely and as always, we remain committed to providing the best possible care for our patients. Thank you for your support and understanding at this challenging time.”