A surge in demand saw 255 people attend the Isle of Wight’s Emergency Department in just 24 hours on earlier this week (Monday) – one of the busiest days on record.
While it was busy, a number of people attended St Mary’s Hospital with minor infections such as conjunctivitis, requiring dressing changes, or long-term health conditions that should have been cared for in a non-hospital setting.
So that care can continue to be delivered safely, the Isle of Wight NHS Trust are taking the opportunity to remind our communities about the other services available to them for urgent care that isn’t life threatening.
Robin Beal, Clinical Lead for the Emergency Department at Isle of Wight NHS Trust, said:
“Our Emergency Department is always available for people facing life-threatening injuries and illnesses. So that we can see and treat patients requiring our care quickly, we need your help in choosing the right service for your needs and keeping the Emergency Department free for people who need lifesaving treatment.
“Community pharmacy and general practice can provide support and care on many urgent or long-term conditions, while NHS 111 can make sure you reach the right service without delay.
“Thank you to all our teams across the hospital and ambulance service who are working hard to provide great care for people.”
Patients with one of 7 common conditions, can also get medication from the pharmacy when appropriate without the need for a GP appointment. This includes treatment for: earache, sore throat, urinary tract infections, impetigo, sinusitis, shingles, and infected insect bites. They can also help direct you to an alternative service if you need further support.
Steve Parker, Medical Director at Isle of Wight NHS Trust, said:
“Our teams are working incredibly hard to ensure there are beds available for those who need them, and we are working with our partners to focus on safely discharging patients no longer needing hospital-level care.
“Please help us by planning how you will help get a friend or family member home when they are ready to leave. This can include collecting them quickly and ensuring they have what they need to travel home comfortably.”
If you aren’t sure which service is best for your needs, visit www.iow.nhs.uk/KnowWhereToGo
Why show a reasonably short waiting time on the article photo when in truth I have seen it showing over 24 hours wait at times. It then gets miraculously reset to zero waiting time in the morning.
Ah yes but not many people are aware attending any pharmacy whether they can help or not the pharmacy charge the NHS £25.00 per patient?this is just madness ….all those £25.00 UK wide would employ more staff for A/E..
I didn’t know that fact how do you know this please?
We pay for this service, people think it’s FREE
it might be for persons who have never paid into
the system.
People cannot plan when they are poorly
EMPLIY MORE STAFF and any workers shirking from home
get them back in the work place.
Too many NHS employees milk the sickness system
BEST CURE FOR EMPLOYEES SICKNESS IS TO SCRAP
FULL SICK PAY AND ONLY PAY SSP, WATCH HOW QUICK
THEY RECOVER AND RETURN TO THE WORKPLACE.
Lol
It is not the fault of Doctors and Nurses who are continuously being overworked on 12 hour shifts, and they are not ” shirking ” at home as you put it. You obviously never had days off sick and even now you never visit your doctor, and go to a pharmacy instead when you have a tickly cough.
You need to come back to reality and not commenting and running down the NHS.
Doctors have had more pay rises than MPS
and the rest of the NHS staff ain’t doing bad.
You would be surprised how many NHS employees
are working from home.
FACT!
Omg here you go again?? You are pathetic?
These hospitals need to stop moaning about the pressure of work, it is those same peeople that allow people with eye infections or need a dressing change to clog up the deparrtment, they are only there because they cannot be arsed to wait for a doctors appointment or the attitude of why should I pay for a new dressing at the pharmacy when I can get it for free at the hospital.
Are these people stupid? The local chemists would help, or is it cos they don’t want to pay out? what is wrong with some people? All they are doing is actually stopping someone with an actual emergency being treated quickly. Some people don’t actually have a brain and are so selfish??