20 October 2010
As winter gets closer, hospitals up and down the country see more and more people coming through the doors of their accident and emergency (A&E) departments because of accidents in the icy conditions and seasonal illnesses.
Whilst most people using A&E genuinely need its services and are suffering a life threatening or real emergency to their health, there are also people who come because they are feeling mildly unwell, have a cough, cold, a minor cut or other everyday ailments.
That's why doctors at Epsom, St Helier and Sutton hospitals are again supporting the national NHS 'Choose Well' campaign - which encourages people to find the most appropriate NHS service to get their advice and treatment as quickly as possible.
Dr Martin Stockwell, Deputy Medical Director at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We find that many of the people that come to A&E do not need to be seen at hospital and could be getting the right care faster somewhere else, for instance from their GP or even a pharmacist in their local chemist.
"There are more ways than ever before to access NHS care, and so we'd like to encourage everyone to choose the right service to get the care they require.
"Not only will this mean that patients who choose the most appropriate service get seen as quickly as possible, it means that A&E can treat people who do have a critical or life-threatening condition more quickly too."
Alternatives to visiting A&E:
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NHS Choices - visit www.nhs.uk and search for information on medical symptoms and conditions and to find local NHS services;
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NHS Direct - call 0845 4647 for absolutely any health questions, around the clock, and to find local NHS services;
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Self-care - a lot of illnesses can be treated in your home by using over the counter medicine and getting plenty of rest;
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Pharmacist - for advice on common winter illnesses, and the best medicines to treat them: pharmacists are qualified experts and you do not need an appointment;
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NHS walk-in centres - 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.
Over 130,000 patients attended the Trust's A&E departments last year, including the eye casualty at Sutton Hospital. That's more than 11,000 people a month.
