Acute staff shortage at hospital

East Cheshire NHS Trust is calling on residents to get medical help from elsewhere before visiting A&E at Macclesfield where possible.

The Trust is also appealing for anyone with nursing qualifications, able to help cover nursing shifts, to get in touch.

A post on the trust’s website said: “The hospital is currently under extreme pressure.

“Please contact NHS 111 first or speak to your GP or pharmacist for medical advice unless it is an emergency.”

The trust says it is experiencing ‘significant staffing pressures’, particularly on late shifts and night shifts.

On social media, it has appealed for any available nursing staff or healthcare assistants to offer their services as cover at the hospital.

A trust spokesman added: “Even if you are retired or not currently enrolled on the bank, we still welcome you to come forward.”

Any nurses or healthcare assistants who can help to cover shifts are asked to contact Nursebank on ecn-tr.nursebank@nhs.net or 01625 661114.