Bristol Hospitals Declare Critical Incident Amid “Significant Pressures” on NHS Services
The University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) has declared a rare critical incident across its hospitals due to “significant pressures” caused by extremely high demand for medical services in Bristol and Weston-super-Mare.
The alert applies to several major facilities within the trust, including:
- Bristol Royal Infirmary
- Bristol Royal Hospital for Children
- St Michael’s Hospital
- Weston General Hospital
Hospital leaders said the situation is placing extraordinary strain on emergency departments, inpatient capacity and staff resources.
In a statement released Thursday, October 30, 2025, Professor Stuart Walker, Managing Director at UHBW, confirmed:
“University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust has declared a Critical Incident today in response to significant pressures across the system impacting our hospitals.”
The trust is now prioritising the most urgent cases and may postpone some routine appointments and non-emergency procedures to focus on patient safety and critical care demand.
Residents have been asked to only use emergency services when absolutely necessary, and to contact NHS 111 for non-life-threatening medical concerns.
The critical incident remains under review as staff work to restore normal operations and manage the surge in patients across the region.
The University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) has declared a rare critical incident across its hospitals due to “significant pressures” caused by extremely high demand for medical services in Bristol and Weston-super-Mare.
The alert applies to several major facilities within the trust, including:
- Bristol Royal Infirmary
- Bristol Royal Hospital for Children
- St Michael’s Hospital
- Weston General Hospital
Hospital leaders said the situation is placing extraordinary strain on emergency departments, inpatient capacity and staff resources.
In a statement released Thursday, October 30, 2025, Professor Stuart Walker, Managing Director at UHBW, confirmed:
“University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust has declared a Critical Incident today in response to significant pressures across the system impacting our hospitals.”
The trust is now prioritising the most urgent cases and may postpone some routine appointments and non-emergency procedures to focus on patient safety and critical care demand.
Residents have been asked to only use emergency services when absolutely necessary, and to contact NHS 111 for non-life-threatening medical concerns.
The critical incident remains under review as staff work to restore normal operations and manage the surge in patients across the region.
