PEOPLE in Gwent are being urged to use the correct option for care after the Grange’s A&E put out a message asking people not to attend unless it is a life-threatening issue.

First minister Mark Drakeford made the plea during a press conference with Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price this morning.

Mr Drakeford called for people across Wales to ensure they are going to the correct service for help and to make use of services including GPs, pharmacies and the 111 service so that the specialist centres like the Grange’s A&E are available for those in need of the most urgent care.

It comes after the Grange put out a call last night for people not to attend the A&E unless it is life-threatening or an emergency because they are currently experiencing patients waiting around 14 hours to get seen by a doctor.

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A statement read: “We have seen a record number of attendances, and waits to see a doctor, in some cases, are greater than 14 hours where the patient's condition isn’t life threatening.

“We have very few beds available across our hospitals to accommodate patients requiring admission.

“We need to ask for your support and to only attend the Grange hospital if it is life-threatening or you have a serious injury.

“Only attend the emergency department if you have severe breathing difficulties, severe chest pain or bleeding, chest pain or a suspected stroke, serious trauma injuries.”

Mr Drakeford said: “The health service is under very significant strain. The numbers of people falling ill with covid has risen drastically over the last two weeks. We’ve gone from having 700 people ill in hospital with the virus to over 1,400.

“The approach of the Welsh Government has always been to use the right service for the care needed.”

He advised that the right care may not be the specialist service provided by hospital emergency departments.