Health experts there to take strain off A&E
Overstretched medics at Wishaw General’s A&E department have dropped below national standards as they try to deal with the pressures of winter emergencies.
There were 1,446 attendances at the A&E department at the end of January/ beginning of February, with 83.3 percent of those people being seen within the target of four hours.
This fell way short of the Scottish Government’s 95 percent target, and was lower than the NHS Lanarkshire average of 87.9 percent.
The Wishaw hospital also performed poorer than the nearest hospitals, Monklands which saw 92.3 percent of patients within four hours, and Hairmyres at 88.3 percent.
Meanwhile, 241 patients waited more than four hours to be seen, admitted or transferred at Wishaw during the same period, the week ending February 2.
Official figures published on the NHS Peforms website also show that 32 patients waited more than eight hours that week, while five waited more than 12 hours.
Tory MSP Graham Simpson said: “The figures at Wishaw General are not acceptable.
“No blame can be attached to overworked staff who are doing their best in trying circumstances.
“Performance in the NHS is slipping across Scotland under the SNP. There is a staffing crisis across the board, which was highlighted recently by the Royal College of Nursing.
“One of the big problems that A&Es are having though is that too many patients use them instead if going to their GP or pharmacy. We need to boost GP services and encourage people not to go to A&E unless they have to.”
The Scottish Government and NHS boards previously agreed upon and set the target for performance rates at A&E departments.
The Scottish Government website states: “Ninety-five per cent of all A&E patients should be admitted, discharged or transferred within four hours of arrival at an A&E department across NHS Scotland (including Minor Injury Units).
“This standard is seen as a milestone towards returning to the 98 percent standard.
Patients across North Lanarkshire are being urged to help reduce the burden on overstretched A&E departments this winter by taking advantage of health experts on their doorstep.
Health chiefs are this week encouraging people to meet their local health expert to find out how they can access a wide range of health help and advice quickly and easily.
These experts include dentists, opticians, physiotherapists and nurses at a minor injuries clinic.
Local pharmacists are also an effective one-stop-shop for advice.
Chris Johnstone is one of NHS Lanarkshire’s health experts who appeared in one of a series of light-hearted films that were recently produced to help inform people about the range of available health services they can use.
“This is necessary to ensure that all patients receive the most appropriate treatment, intervention, support and services at the right time, in the right place by the right person.”
SNP MSP Clare Adamson said: “I commend the workforce in Wishaw General and across NHS Lanarkshire for their tireless dedication and the outstanding quality of care they provide in our hospitals.
“Under the SNP, NHS Scotland has high patient satisfaction, the best performing A&E departments in the UK, more GPs per person, and we have been able to
Chris, who works as a community pharmacist across Lanarkshire, 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 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.
“We’re urging people to stop and think before they go to A&E. There are lots of other qualified experts who can safely and quickly advise people on many health conditions.”
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.
To help everyone get the right help and support they need, people are being encouraged to:
Visit www.nhsinform.scot first, to find a nearby health expert. You can also chat online or call 0800 22 44 88 between 8am and 10pm every day.