Crawley’s main acute hospital stepped down from a Critical Incident status that had been triggered by extreme heat and exceptional demand. Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust declared the emergency at East Surrey Hospital on 21 June 2026 and resolved it the following day.
The trust had faced what Dr Ed Cetti, Chief Medical Officer, described as “exceptionally high temperatures” alongside intense pressure on emergency services and difficulties discharging patients. Despite standing down the alert on 22 June, the hospital remained extremely busy, with staff working “around the clock to maintain safe services for everyone who needs our care.” Dr Cetti thanked partners and the local community for their support and understanding throughout the incident.
The Redhill site is the primary acute hospital for Crawley, and the trust continues to urge anyone with a non-life-threatening condition to avoid the Emergency Department. The Crawley Urgent Treatment Centre at Crawley Hospital on West Green Drive remains open from 7.30am to 10pm every day, handling sprains, fractures, burns, head injuries and minor eye problems. Two minor injury units in Caterham Dene and East Grinstead offer additional alternatives for less serious ailments.
This is not the first time the trust has been forced to escalate its response. A Critical Incident was declared in March 2026 during a Norovirus outbreak that coincided with sustained demand and infection-control complications, and similar steps were taken across several south-east trusts in January when flu and norovirus cases surged. The hospital also triggered the alert in January 2022 after a shortage of care home beds created a cycle of pressure.
The return to normal incident status does not signal that pressures have evaporated, and residents are being reminded that 999 and the Emergency Department should be reserved for serious or life-threatening conditions while services continue to recover.
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