PATIENTS, relatives and the hospital’s chief executive have all thanked NHS staff for their handling of the winter crisis in Salisbury.

Figures published by NHS England earlier this month showed a nation-wide increase in occupancy and ambulance delays.

At Salisbury District Hospital, 40 people experienced delays of up to an hour in handover between ambulance crews and hospital staff in December, eight of those waiting for more than an hour, out of 1,250 patients arriving by ambulance.

And the hospital was running at full capacity for five days last month, with 100 per cent of beds occupied, and had an average occupancy rate of 98 per cent throughout December.

The British Medical Association said the national figures show “how congested and overstretched the system is”.

But patients have praised Salisbury hospital for its handling of the ‘winter crisis’.

John Dalton of Middle Woodford visited after his wife fell and knocked herself out at 5am on January 3.

“We are seven miles from the ambulance station, but one was with us in a very short time and whisked her off to Salisbury A&E where she was rapidly admitted, treated and restored enough for me to take her home only six hours later,” John said.

He told the Journal he was “blessed” to have the hospital, with its “highly professional, organised, efficient department clearly well on top of the job”, adding that it was “on the very day that the national news was reporting gloom and doom within the NHS”.

“They deserve all the credit they can get,” he added.

Richard Jeffery needed an ambulance after falling ill at Culver Street carpark in the week before Christmas.

“I could not fault the amazing service I received, with an ambulance arriving within a few minutes and whisking me off to A&E, where I was seen straight away by highly competent staff,” he said.

Richard said he received “further excellent treatment” after being moved to Tisbury cardiac ward, adding that the hospital’s “speed of response and the level of attention could not be faulted”.

And Howard Wootton took to social media to praise the hospital, adding: “Brilliant service from GP to cleaners at Salisbury hospital.

“Thanks to all wonderful staff at the hospital.”

Cara Charles-Barks, chief executive at Salisbury District Hospital, said staff had put plans in place to meet additional winter demands.

“We have worked closely with our partners to put in place plans to help deal with additional demands on local health services this winter. We have seen a rise over the last few weeks in the number of very sick people that need hospital treatment and so it’s important that we continue to review our plans throughout the winter and make any changes based on the pressures that we face.

“I know that our staff are working extremely hard and I can’t thank them enough for the way they have responded to the current situation. I also want to thank local people for their public support for our staff and the way they have also used hospital services this winter.”