People are being warned of long waits at Hull’s Emergency Department (ED) unless they are a genuine medical emergency as Hull Royal Infirmary comes under pressure.
A surge of “walking wounded” and people with seasonal illnesses and viruses have been turning up at the hospital’s Emergency Care Area in recent days, putting emergency services and frontline teams under strain.
Now, NHS Humber Health Partnership, which runs Hull Royal Infirmary, is appealing to the public to use alternative services such as their GPs, local pharmacists or one of the Urgent Treatment Centres in Goole, Bridlington, Bransholme, Hull or Beverley unless they are in genuine need of emergency care.
Dr Kate Wood, Group Chief Medical Officer, said: “We are seeing lots of people coming into our ED who may need medical attention but can be seen by their GP or pharmacist.
“We’ve even had people calling 999 for an ambulance even though they know it’s not a medical emergency because they think it might get them seen more quickly. But it won’t. Instead, all they’re doing is diverting services away from the sickest people who really need urgent medical attention.
“We are asking people to consider if they really need to call an ambulance or come to A&E before they make that call or set off for Hull Royal Infirmary. If you are not in need of emergency care, you will face a very long wait to be seen or even be sent elsewhere after a very long wait.”
Urgent treatment centres can help with sprains and strains, suspected broken bones, injuries, cuts and bruises, stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhoea, skin infections and rashes, high temperature in children and adults and mental health concerns.
Hull’s ED is there to provide emergency medical attention for serious or life-threatening illnesses or injuries including heavy bleeding, unconsciousness, cardiac arrest, strokes, seizures or choking.
Nurse Director Wendy Page, part of the senior team running Hull’s ED, said people should call NHS111 or visit www.111.nhs.uk online if they are not sure of the best place to go.
She said: “Checking where to go with NHS111 first means you’ll avoid unnecessary waits in our ED and it’s likely that you’ll be seen far more quickly if you go somewhere else.
“At the moment, people are waiting for at least five hours but it can be much, much longer if you’re not an emergency case.
“Even people who do need hospital care are having to wait longer than we’d like for a bed at the moment so we’d encourage those who are able to use other services go there so we can help those who need us most.”