THE Royal Surrey County Hospital was on red alert this week with GPs in The Herald area urged to not to refer patient admissions there.

The Guildford hospital, which takes referrals from Farnham, Haslemere, Alton and Bordon GPs, had no space in its accident and emergency department on Wednesday.

News of another red alert comes as the King Edward VII Hospital in Midhurst, which often takes "bed-blocking" patients from the Royal Surrey, easing the pressure on A&E department, faces closure.

On Monday, with 26 Royal Surrey A&E patients awaiting beds blocked by so-called delayed discharges - patients well enough to leave but with no post-hospital care arranged - the hospital was on "Critical Red" alert.

The red alert stage is reached when 25 patients or more are in A&E awaiting a bed on the wards.

A memo sent by the medical director and two joint chairmen of the Guildford and Waverley Primary Care Trust to GPs said: "While it is recognised that patients should ideally be treated locally, could all GPs do their utmost to send patients to other local hospitals when appropriate.

"If GPs can avoid admission by arranging other solutions (e.g. urgent outpatient appointments, primary care/community support) this would be appreciated."

The memo stressed that life-threatening cases would still be admitted, as well as patients with a "complex history" at the Royal Surrey.

The Herald understands that at least four bed-blockers at the Royal Surrey were transferred to King Edward VII Hospital, to free up beds for emergency admissions.

Haslemere Health Centre senior partner Dr Chris Taylor said: "We keep getting red alerts, it's not the first this winter and there have been two or three in the last four weeks. They are pretty frequent and we are even getting them in the summer."

Dr Dale Edgerton, senior partner at the Woolmer Surgery in Bordon agreed the red alerts were not uncommon, but said he still strives to admit patients that need a stay in hospital.

"Accident and emergency is a real problem. People either need to go to hospital or they don't, it's as simple as that"

A GP for 30 years, Dr Edgerton said he "always" manages to get a patient admitted somewhere, but this can involve pleading phone calls.

"The average wait in accident and emergency is five to six hours. There's enough money in the health service but it's a question of where they spend it.

"I would also like to see the Department of Health discussing it with us, the doctors, rather than managers. I've never been asked for my opinion."

Farnham Health Centre manager John de La Perrelle, asked about the possible closure of the King Edward VII Hospital, said: "It would be a shame. If you take the patients that are being sent there for specialist treatment they would have to go back to the Royal Surrey, which makes matters worse and I'm sure we'll all suffer a bit."

The Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester was also on red alert earlier this week, with 20 per cent of its beds occupied by bed blockers.

Frimley Park Hospital's A&E department was also busy, but not on red alert.

"It's been brisk, but not with anything other than what you would expect at this time of year," said a spokesman.

"We've picked up some extra fractures and sprains. We had some coming in with flu and viral infections.

"We're not in a critical red situation. That means they divert and we're not doing that. We've got the Medical Assessment Unit which takes GPs' referrals, so that helps reduce the flow."

A spokesman for the Royal Surrey County Hospital said: "Daily meetings are being held between managers and clinical staff to help manage the situation. Internal projects are being undertaken in conjunction with the primary care trust and social services.

"Members of the public can help by keeping an eye on elderly relatives or neighbours and by making use of alternative advice such as NHS Direct and local pharmacies."

The spokesman said the impact of the closure of the King Edward VII is "as yet unknown".