News from our partners: Think – is your accident really an emergency?

News from our partners Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH)

Officials at Shropshire’s two acute hospitals are asking people to consider if they need the specialist services provided by A&E as the departments continue to face huge demand.

Yesterday (Sunday 20 January 2019) more than 400 people attended the A&E departments at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) and Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford. More than 150 patients arrived by ambulance – the equivalent of one ambulance arriving at A&E every 10 minutes for 24 hours.

For a short time during the highest period of demand, four ambulances were diverted away from PRH, in line with NHS procedures to manage demand and limit waits and delays as much as possible.

Nigel Lee, Chief Operating Officer at SaTH, which runs RSH and PRH, said:

“In common with many hospitals across the country, we are seeing very high demand on our A&E services at the moment. Last week our A&E departments saw more than 2,600 people. This is over 350 more attendances than in the same week last year and works out as an average of 370 people every day.

“Every day we are seeing acute and complex cases and a high number of patients arriving by ambulance needing urgent and immediate attention. Last week we saw 725 ambulances attendances at our A&Es – over 150 more than the same week last year.

“We would therefore ask people to think if they need the specialist service that our A&Es provide. For more minor injuries and illnesses, there are a range of other services which may be able to treat your condition more appropriately and more quickly.”

Pharmacies are often seen simply as dispensaries for medication, but pharmacists are experts in medicines and will use their clinical expertise, together with their practical knowledge to offer advice on common problems such as coughs, colds, aches and pains and can also help you decide whether you need to see a doctor. NHS 111 can provide medical help fast when it’s not a 999 emergency.

Nigel said:

“Our priority is to ensure that patients arriving at our A&Es receive the right treatment. More complex cases have more complex needs which take longer to meet, but we will never compromise on patient care.

“The challenges we face are well-known and require a long-term strategic solution. In the meantime, we continue to work with our partners both in the NHS and in social care so that those patients who no longer need the specialist care we provide can leave our hospitals in a safe and timely manner.

“I would like to thank our staff who have worked so hard to ensure our patients are treated safely and with kindness despite these very challenging conditions.”