Patients at Royal Liverpool University Hospital’s A&E unit are facing waits of up to 50 hours due to exceptionally high demand caused by flu and respiratory illnesses, prompting the declaration of a critical incident. Other hospitals across the UK, including in East Midlands, Devon, Cornwall, Hampshire, and Birmingham, have also declared critical incidents due to similar pressures and are urging non-emergency patients to seek alternative services. Liverpool Riverside Labour MP Kim Johnson has called for immediate government action to increase NHS funding and address staffing and capacity issues to prevent life-threatening delays in care.
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