Toothache patients put extra strain on city’s A&E

AN A&E department at a Yorkshire hospital is being put under strain by people coming in with minor health problems such as period pain, toothache and back pain.

Teresa Cope, chief operating officer at Hull Royal Infirmary, said its emergency department had been “incredibly busy” in the days since Christmas.

Around 420 patients have attended the department each day over the last three days, and around 200 have been through the ‘Minors’ department.

Staff say numbers such as this are normally seen on a busy Monday rather than over a weekend.

But Mrs Cope, says around two-thirds to three-quarters of those walking into the ‘Minors’ area – in some cases up to 150 people per day – could and should have sought advice or treatment elsewhere.

She said: “It appears that with Christmas festivities out of the way, many people are starting to seek treatment for minor health problems or niggles such as period pain, toothache and back pain, but A&E is not the place to do this.

“It’s no secret that our hospitals come under pressure over the winter and the patients we admit do tend to be more poorly, often linked to respiratory conditions or flu which is now, once again, doing the rounds.

“With some really sick patients on our hands, both in the ‘Majors’ area of our Emergency Department and throughout our hospital wards, tending to patients with minor ailments which could have been treated just as easily through a pharmacy or walk-in centre takes valuable time and resources away from the seriously ill.”

NHS officials are repeating the call for patients to consider alternative sources of advice and treatment. Call NHS 111 or visit www. hullccg.nhs.uk/staywell for more information.