24 December 2009
Doctors at Epsom, St Helier and Sutton hospitals are urging local people to get the right treatment if they fall ill or hurt themselves this winter.
As the weather turns colder, hospitals up and down the country see more and more people coming through the doors of their A&E (accident and emergency) departments because of accidents in the icy conditions, seasonal illnesses and chest infections.
And that's why staff from the Trust are supporting the 'Choose Well' campaign – a new initiative to encourage people to get the right care from the right service at the right time.
The campaign, which is backed by posters displayed around the Trust's hospitals, uses a colour coded thermometer as its logo and aims to reduce the number of people visiting A&E by helping them to associate the severity of their symptoms with a particular NHS service:
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A&E or 999 - for critical or life-threatening situations
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NHS walk-in centre - for treatment of minor illnesses or injuries, without an appointment
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GP - for medical advice, examinations and prescriptions for illnesses you just can't shake off
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Pharmacist - for advice on common winter illnesses, and the best medicines to treat them
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NHS Direct - for absolutely any health questions, around the clock, and to find local services
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Self-care - for treatment of minor winter illnesses, by combining a well-stocked medicine cabinet with plenty of rest
In December of last year, an extra 400 people attended the A&E departments at St Helier and Epsom hospitals compared to the previous month, with more than 6,500 visiting St Helier and 4,750 Epsom.
Dr Jonathan Kwan, the Trust's Medical Director, said: "We know that winter is the harshest of seasons, and the rise in the number of people visiting our hospitals reflects that.
"Unfortunately though, some of the people that come through A&E do not need to be seen at hospital and could be getting the right care somewhere else. There are a number of ways people can access healthcare, and so we'd encourage everyone to have a look at the new 'Choose Well' posters, leaflets and website.
"Turning up at A&E when you don't need to places massive pressure on the staff who work there and, more importantly, can cause delays for people who really need their help.
"We want our patients to get better as soon as they can, and one of the best ways to do that is to get to the right care as soon as possible."
