A Kent hospital has been placed on the highest level of alert amid winter pressures and an ongoing doctors strike. Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford has confirmed it is running on OPEL level 4 as increased service demands have outweighed the hospital’s capacity. Operational Pressures Escalation Levels (OPEL) are an NHS framework used to measure the stress a hospital is under. Level 4 is the most severe tier, and is placed when organisations may be “unable to deliver comprehensive care”. NHS England says when this point is reached, there is an increased potential for patient care and safety to…
