A TEIGNBRIDGE hospital was so overrun it had to close temporarily to new patients.

The Urgent Treatment Centre at Newton Abbot Community Hospital closed to new patients  on Wednesday, August 17, albeit for a few hours and directed potential patients to other services including Torbay Hospital.

A spokesperson for Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust said: ‘Between 12pm and 2pm on Wednesday 17 August 2022, our Urgent Treatment Centre at Newton Abbot Community Hospital temporarily closed to new patients due to the number of people already in the department receiving care.

‘Everyone who attended was assessed and signposted to the most appropriate service for their need, which includes a pharmacy, GP, our Emergency Department at Torbay Hospital or self-care at home.

‘The suspension of the service forms part of our agreed operating procedures which aims to support the service, keep people safe and allow normal service to resume as soon as possible, which happened at 2pm.’