Jan 9th, 2018

NHS Winter Crisis

By Megan Bentall

NHS winter crisis: hospitals on red or black alert

DISCLAIMER: the information on this page was last updated on January 18th, 2018.

Hospitals across England are at breaking point. Thousands of operations are being cancelled. People are being treated in corridors.

In the past this level of crisis was known as hospitals being on ‘red alert’ or ‘black alert’ and so the media is referring to the current situation in the same terms. The new ranking NHS England uses is known as Operational Pressures Escalation Levels (OPEL). Red alerts are now known as OPEL 3 and black alerts are known as OPEL 4.

Red alerts take place when the “local health and social care system is experiencing major pressures compromising patient flow and continues to increase.”

Black alerts mean that “pressure in the local health and social care system continues to escalate leaving organisations unable to deliver comprehensive care. There is increased potential for patient care and safety to be compromised.”

Information about hospital trusts that serve your constituency can be found below, as well as information about how your MP voted on government spending plans:

Northampton North

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust, which serves people living in Northampton North, issued a black alert (OPEL 4) earlier this month. You can find more information here.

Michael Ellis is the MP for Northampton North. You can find information on how he voted on government spending plans here: in 2015, in 2016, and in 2017.

Northampton South

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust also serves people living in Northampton South.

Andrew Lewer is the MP for Northampton South. You can find information on how he voted on government spending plans here: in 2017.

Runnymede and Weybridge

Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which serves people living in Runnymede and Weybridge, issued a black alert (OPEL 4) earlier this month. You can find more information here.

Philip Hammond is the MP for Runnymede and Weybridge. You can find information on how he voted on government spending plans here: in 2015 and in 2017.

Maidenhead

Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, also serves people living in Maidenhead.

Theresa May is the MP for Maidenhead. You can find information on how she voted on government spending plans here: in 2015.

Erewash

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, which serves people living in Erewash, issued a black alert (OPEL 4) earlier this month. You can find more information here.

Maggie Throup is the MP for Erewash. You can find information on how she voted on government spending plans here: in 2015 and in 2017.

Camborne and Redruth

Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, which serves people living in Camborne and Redruth, issued a black alert (OPEL 4) earlier this month. You can find more information here.

George Eustice is the MP for Camborne and Redruth. You can find information on how he voted on government spending plans here: in 2015, in 2016, and in 2017.

Spelthorne

Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which serves people living in Spelthorne, issued a black alert (OPEL 4) earlier this month. You can find more information here.

Kwasi Kwarteng is the MP for Spelthorne. You can find information on how he voted on government spending plans here: in 2015, in 2016, and in 2017.

Filton and Bradley Stoke

Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, which serves people living in Filton and Bradley Stoke, issued a black alert (OPEL 4) earlier this month. You can find more information here.

Jack Lopresti is the MP for Filton and Bradley Stoke. You can find information on how he voted on government spending plans here: in 2015, and in 2016.

Cheltenham

Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust also serves people living in Cheltenham.

Alex Chalk is the MP for Cheltenham. You can find information on how he voted on government spending plans here: in 2015, in 2016, and in 2017.

Crawley

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust which serves people living in Crawley, issued a black alert (OPEL 4) earlier this month. You can find more information here.

Henry Smith is the MP for Crawley. You can find information on how he voted on government spending plans here: in 2016, and in 2017.

Truro and Falmouth

Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust which serves people living in Truro and Falmouth, issued a black alert (OPEL 4) earlier this month. You can find more information here.

Sarah Newton is the MP for Truro and Falmouth. You can find information on how she voted on government spending plans here: in 2015, in 2016, and in 2017.

South West Bedfordshire

Bedford Hospital NHS Trust which serves people living in South West Bedfordshire, issued a black alert (OPEL 4) earlier this month. You can find more information here.

Andrew Selous is the MP for South West Bedfordshire. You can find information on how he voted on government spending plans here: in 2015, in 2016, and in 2017.