SOME operations have been cancelled at Hereford County Hospital following a surge in the number of patients over the Easter weekend.

Nearly 600 people attended the emergency department between Good Friday and Easter Monday and more than 160 of these required hospital admission.

Jon Barnes, chief operating officer at Wye Valley NHS Trust, said: “Unfortunately, this means that we’ve had to postpone a small number of non-urgent operations to ensure that we can continue to provide acute and emergency care, for medical and surgical emergencies.

"This is part of our standard procedures to manage high demand on NHS services and we have contacted patients directly regarding this."

Residents are being urged to only attend the emergency department for serious injuries, illnesses, conditions, or if it is life threatening.

The outpatient service is unaffected so people should attend their appointments as planned.

There are a number of NHS alternatives available which people can access for minor injuries and illnesses.

These include telephoning NHS 111 or visiting: the Herefordshire Walk-In Centre, by ASDA, Belmont Road, Hereford, (open 8am- 8pm); the Ledbury Community Health and Care Centre Minor Injury Unit which is open 24- hours-a-day; Leominster Community Hospital and Ross Community Hospital Minor Injury Units, (open from 8.30am - 5.30pm, Monday to Friday); Kington Health and Social Care Centre Minor Injury Unit (open 8am - 8pm); the Taurus extended hours GP services at Wargrave House Surgery, St Owen Street, Hereford; The Marches Surgery, Westfield Walk, Leominster; and Pendeen Surgery, Kent Avenue, Ross on Wye, (available from 8am - 8pm on Saturdays and Sundays.) Or seek advice from your local pharmacy.