NHS urging would-be patients to think smart
NICOLA FINDLAY
NHS Lanarkshire are urging people to make use of services in the community after figures revealed the health board had the longest A&E waiting times in Scotland.
Statistics for December also revealed that Hairmyres Hospital was the worst performing in Scotland – again.
Just 72.1 per cent of patients were admitted, transferred or discharged within the four-hour target at the East Kilbride A&E.
This is after just 69.8 were seen within four hours for the week ending October 20.
The latest plea comes after a campaign by the health board asking patients to stay away from A&E unless absolutely necessary.
A series of films were produced explaining the range of available health services they can use.
Chris Johnstone is one of NHS Lanarkshire’s ‘Meet the Experts’ who appeared in them.
Chris works as a community pharmacist across Lanarkshire.
He said: “Pharmacists are experts in medicines and they can also provide healthcare advice, without the need for an appointment.
“They should be the first port of call for questions about prescriptions or advice on remedies for coughs, colds and other minor ailments.”
Visiting a local health expert is a much faster and easier way for people to get the health help they need, without having to see their GP first or spending hours waiting in A&E.
The experts include a dentist, optician, physiotherapist and a nurse at a minor injuries clinic.
Local pharmacists are also an effective one-stop-shop for advice.
The NHS Lanarkshire website also features a new film on ‘self-care’, often the simplest way to treat a minor illnesses and injuries like a cough, sore throat or a burn, and details on national services like NHS Inform and NHS24.
John Keaney, divisional medical director for NHS Lanarkshire’s acute services, said: “If people take advantage of the expert help on their doorstep, then A&E departments can be kept free to treat patients facing serious health problems.”
Lanarkshire’s A&E services are already among the busiest in Scotland, with people typically waiting four hours or longer during peak times. This winter is one of the busiest on record, so people are being urged to only visit A&E departments in a real emergency.