A HOSPITAL trust says it is making contingency plans after the fuel crisis left staff struggling to buy the petrol and diesel needed to travel to work.
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, which runs services at several hospitals in Sussex including the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, says it is working to ensure hospital and emergency services are “unaffected” by the crisis.
It comes after The Argus reported that some NHS nurses and doctors were unable to fill up at petrol stations due to fuel shortages.
Ben Stevens, chief operating officer for the trust, said: “We are working very closely with colleagues across Sussex to ensure that our hospital and emergency services are unaffected.
“Staff have gone above and beyond to get into work, whether that is using public transport services, planning ahead to factor in time needed to queue for fuel or finding other means of transport so they can get into work, and look after our patients.
“This is an on-going situation and contingency plans are being developed should they be needed.”
- READ MORE: Fuel crisis: East Sussex fire services boss slams 'dangerous' panic buying
- READ MORE: Fuel crisis: Secamb pleads with drivers not to panic buy
Emergency services in Sussex have been urging drivers to stop flocking to petrol stations as long queues formed again today.
The South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb), which serves Brighton and Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex, is asking drivers not to panic buy fuel amid fears long queues could cause emergency teams to get stuck.
A spokesman said: “We urge the public to be sensible, only buy the fuel they require and, as ever, be aware when driving of any blue light vehicle looking to progress through traffic.”
George O’Reilly, business safety manager at East Sussex Fire and Rescue, has urged drivers to “return to normal purchasing patterns” and to only buy fuel when it is needed.
He said: “The simple solution is for the public to return to normal purchasing patterns, and this can be done by only buying fuel when it is needed, in the quantity needed and to refrain from stockpiling fuel.
“This stockpiling is extremely dangerous and is likely to delay any return to normal.”
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