People in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire are being urged to only use their NHS if absolutely necessary this weekend as all parts of the local health and care system remain under significant pressure from sustained high demand.

A combination of staff absences and increasing numbers of coronavirus cases, coupled with a huge surge in people wanting same-day urgent and emergency care, has resulted in hospitals and the ambulance service experiencing demands for their services not normally seen outside of the middle of winter.

Health and care leaders are now bracing for what is expected to be a very busy weekend and are calling on local people to only use urgent and emergency services if it is absolutely necessary.

Calling 999 or visiting a hospital emergency department for anything less than a genuine, life-threatening emergency takes already-stretched healthcare workers away from their sickest patients, who are most in need of urgent medical assistance.

Will Warrender, Chief Executive, South Western Ambulance Service, said: "We are currently experiencing unprecedented and sustained demand for our 999 service.

"To continue supporting those with the most serious conditions, we need everyone's help, so please do not call us for non-life-threatening emergencies and always use alternative services for less serious conditions.

"Our teams are working incredibly hard day and night to be there for those who need us, but we need everyone's help to enable us to reach patients who need our help as quickly as possible."

It comes along with news that on Wednesday (September 8) that the Bath Accident and Emergency department asked people to leave, even if they were with patients.

In a statement to Nub News the RUH said : " The RUH, including the Emergency Department, is currently very busy and we are working hard to manage demand and maintain the quality of service to patients.

"On Wednesday we were extremely busy and it became challenging to maintain social distancing. We therefore requested, where possible, for those accompanying patients to wait outside. "

Families with loved ones in hospital are also being asked to collect their relatives as soon as they have been told they are able to go home, as doing so means more beds are available for newer patients in urgent need of admission.