‘Don’t clog up A&E unless it’s urgent’ warns top doctor
BUSY Patients have been asked not to go to QA unless absolutely necessary
EMERGENCY departments are being clogged up with people who do not need to be there.
Last year more than half of the patients who arrived at A&Es across Hampshire were discharged because there was nothing wrong with them.
Across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in 2010 and 2011 441,939 people turned up as emergency cases but 251,608 were discharged, with just advice or a referral to a GP.
None of them was even given a prescription.
A total of 38,410 Portsmouth residents attended emergency departments across the area but 15,764 were sent home because they did not require treatment.
Dr Stuart Ward, clinical director for the Southampton, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Portsmouth PCT Cluster, said the number of discharges not requiring further treatment was telling.
He said: ‘It indicates to me that a significant proportion of attendances at emergency departments are not suitable for emergency treatment, and those people should have considered using one of a number of alternatives available to them.
‘NHS Direct, community pharmacies or minor injury units are all staffed by healthcare professionals who are able to offer advice and treatment on a range of ailments, from minor fractures, cuts, sprains and strains, to emergency contraception.
‘The emergency department at your hospital should be used only for emergencies – when you’re very badly hurt or if you become suddenly and seriously ill.
‘This ensures those who need urgent help the most are able to get it without delay.’
For advice on where to go if you are unwell or injured go to portsmouth.nhs.uk/Your-Health/Choosewell or call NHS Direct on 0845 4647.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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Comments
There are 9 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
Airwolf
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 03:32 AMWell said bridget, as for going to a minor injury unit for a fracture, well doctor how the flipping hell would i know if my leg was fractured or broken unless i have x-ray eyes?
freespirit
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:51 AMI agree with Dr Wood that persons should consider some other action rather than go to Q A, i think the problem arises because of ignorance and lack of information on other services available. Also its not easy to get a doctors appointment these days ,some surgeries are better organised than others for emergencies etc; people know that at QA they will be seen that day. We are given tel nos to call for advice but when you call you get answer machines or there is no answer,
snapdog
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 06:32 PMWhere are the News getting their stats from?
Bridget Lawrence
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 06:06 PMIf the minor injuries unit at Gosport closes at 9pm and there is no such service in Havant, where do the NHS managers think they’ll end up if not at QA?
Flying bull
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 05:55 PMMy God what the hell are we getting for our money? After all the NHS is NOT FREE we all pay for it. If out of the 15,764 one life is saved its worth it. Drunk or not.
elliotc
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 05:40 PMI thought that's what triage was supposed to achieve, sorting out the priority patients. I certainly agree that most people wouldn't want to wait for the amount of time that it normally takes to see someone.
MurF
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 04:56 PMAnyone used NHS Direct? A good example was my sprained foot. As I didn't think I had broken it, I phone NHS Direct for advice. I didn't actually want to go to A&E simply because I knew it wasn't broken. But after speaking to NHS Direct, they advised me to go and get it checked out, just in case it was broken! So after getting to A&E wasting their time, to only find out..... it's sprained. NHS direct will always send you to a hospital if they are 'not quite sure' because if you didn't and say you died, then NHS Direct would be responsible. Sorry Dr Ward, NHS direct is useless.
portsmouthbound
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 12:45 PMStart charging people for using the A & E ...especially if theyve been drinking too much.......thatll make people think before they go.
Richard B
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 12:37 PMI wouldn't have thought people would wait for hours in A&E if they didn't THINK they had something serious. I wonder how many of the nothing wrong cases were at the weekend when you cannot get to see a GP?
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