66 people treated at PRI after falling on ice
‘Avoid going out’message to ease pressure on NHS
Over 60 people turned up at Perth Royal Infirmary in just over a week with injuries after falling or tripping in icy conditions.
And Perth and Kinross Council received almost 800 requests to replenish empty grit bins during the recent cold spell of weather.
An emergency medicine consultant has now urged people to avoid going out in wintry conditions as much as possible to protect the NHS.
Between December 28 and January 6, NHS Tayside treated 66 patients at PRI’s emergency department who attended following a fall.
Dr Julie Ronald said NHS Tayside had seen a recent “marked increase” in the number of patients attending with broken bones as a result of the icy conditions.
She added: “To help protect the NHS, we are encouraging people not to go out in icy conditions unless it is absolutely necessary.
“If they do have to leave their homes, they should ensure they dress warmly, wear sensible shoes with a good grip and take care when on icy surfaces.”
The consultant reiterated the NHS message to “walk like a penguin” to avoid a nasty fall.
She said: “If you want to stay safe whilst walking on icy paths, our advice is to walk like a penguin – bend the knees, point feet slightly outwards, and extend arms to each side.
“Walk flat footed, taking short slow steps and keep your centre of gravity over your feet.” It has also emerged many Perth and Kinross residents were unable to grit pavements and paths due to grit bins being empty.
The PA understands PKC received almost 800 online requests to replenish grit bins.
Perth city centre Lib Dem councillor Peter Barrett said: “Perth and Kinross council had received 784 requests via its MyPKC portal to fill grit bins.
Cllr Barrett said PKC had been busy filling bins across the region since Wednesday (January 6).
The Perth City Centre councillor praised the response by locals to help clear the ice.
He said: “Local residents and communities have been doing tremendous work to augment the huge amount of effort that the council has put in to deal with the big freeze.
“Conditions have been treacherous with black ice making steep inclines impossible to treat by gritter lorry.”
But it appears some residents’ efforts to grit pavements and roads were hampered by rubbish having dumped in grit bins.
Cllr Barrett said: “Residents couldn’t get at the salt and grit because of the mountain of rubbish crammed on top.
“The quickest solution was to clear it all away and then break up the hard crusted top layer of grit.
“The contents can now be used. I would ask that anyone who thought they were doing a good deed by cleaning litter in the area dispose of it elsewhere from now on.”
A spokesperson for PKC said the authority was aiming to top up all the region’s grit bins.
The spokesperson said: “We are working our way across the area to refill the over 1300 grit bins provided to the local community, we appreciate residents patience as we carry out this time consuming work to enable communities to self-help.
“Damaged grit bins that need to be replaced may also cause delays as we have very limited stocks of bins and replacements can take up to four weeks from our approved suppliers.”
A weather warning for ice remains in place until 11am on Tuesday, January 12.