Heatwave piles pressure on region’s A&E services
NORTH Manchester General saw its highest number of A&E attendances ever on Monday last week as the heatwave and two major moors fires placed pressure on health services across the region.
A spokesman for the hospital said it was ‘very busy’ due to the heat, while one senior Manchester health figure referred to a ‘significant challenge’ in the city around air quality thanks to high pollen levels, heat and smoke.
Greater Manchester health bosses have urged people to stay away from A&E departments unless they are facing a genuine emergency.
Last Monday nearly 400 people attended the A&E at North Manchester General, the highest figure on record - although it dropped to 304 last Tuesday.
Dr Jimmy Stuart, clinical director for Urgent Care at the hospital, said: “This warm weather and increased demand for our urgent care services is adding to waiting times for those with minor complaints. I would like to apologise to patients who are waiting longer than expected to be seen and would ask the public to help us and think carefully about which health service is appropriate for their condition, only coming to A&E if it is a genuine emergency.”
A spokesman for Pennine Acute NHS Trust said the Royal Oldham was also seeing higher than average attendances last week, again due to the heat and higher than usual numbers of patients with minor ailments.
One senior Oldham health source said A&E had seen notably high numbers since last Monday, the day after the Saddleworth Moors fire broke out, but said it was too early to say whether the two situations were related.
Elsewhere the picture appears to vary, with neither Fairfield General in Bury nor Tameside General seeing notably high attendances.
Stepping Hill in Stockport said numbers were higher than usual, but only very slightly.
Jon Rouse, chief officer of Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “The prolonged hot weather has meant that more people are visiting A&Es across Greater Manchester; this is similar to other parts of the country. The hot weather has increased demand on our ambulance service and hospitals; in part due to people suffering from respiratory illnesses; heat related conditions; dehydration; increased alcohol consumption and some trauma injuries.”