Hospital trusts across West Yorkshire and Harrogate are warning of long waiting times for patients to be seen in their Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments. In some cases, patients may be waiting for up to 12 hours, whilst the treatment of those with life-threatening illness or injury is prioritised.  

The West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), which is the official name of the six hospital trusts working together in West Yorkshire and Harrogate, is urging patients to only attend their local A&E in genuine, life-threatening situations.  

The advice comes as the WYAAT hospital trusts publish their most recent A&E attendance figures, showing a 14.2% increase in attendances compared with the same week in 2021*.  

Dr Andrew Lockey, Consultant Physician in Emergency Medicine with Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, said: “It’s really important that people only come to an Accident and Emergency Department if they really need to. Our hospitals are extremely busy, and people are having to wait a long time to be seen. 

“Over the past two weeks we’ve faced huge challenges with the sharp uplift in the number of people attending Accident and Emergency. This places additional pressure on our teams who are responsible for treating patients with serious and life-threatening conditions.  

“If you are unwell and are unsure which healthcare service you need, call NHS 111. A highly-trained clinical advisor will direct you to the most appropriate service.”