‘VERY scary’ is how a Newton Abbot patient has described the latest situation of NHS healthcare.

The patient, who wishes to remain anonymous, had just received a message from their doctor’s surgery in Devon Square telling him and his wife: ‘Following sustained immense pressure across the region, the operating statuses of all Devon NHS services have been declared as critical.

‘In response to this declaration, Devon Square Surgery is operating an urgent care service only until further notice.

‘We will look to re-establish routine care as soon as possible, but, for the foreseeable future, new appointments for non-urgent concerns will not be booked.

‘Appointments booked before today will proceed as planned.

‘Please accept our apologies, we are doing all we can to look after our patients at this difficult time across the region.’

A spokesperson for NHS Devon said: ‘The NHS in Devon remains very busy, with many patients and staff affected by flu, Covid-19, respiratory conditions and norovirus (the sickness and diarrhoea bug).

‘A critical incident was declared on December 28 and has since been stood down.

‘A critical incident means that pressures in the health and social care system have escalated to a level that requires all NHS organisations and system partners – including primary care and social care – to take decisive actions together to recover the capacity of services, ensuring patient safety.

‘This can mean that non-urgent appointments may be postponed, to ensure the most unwell patients are prioritised.

‘People can help by collecting friends and family from hospital as soon as we call you, only dialling 999 or visiting the emergency department in a life threatening emergency and staying away from hospitals if you have Covid-19, flu or a sickness bug, unless we have asked you to come in.’