A&E is for emergencies only

NHS Lanarkshire is urging people to attend hospital emergency departments only if they require urgent and immediately necessary treatment.

Frances Dodd, NHS Lanarkshire acute divisional nurse director, explained:“All of our hospitals are extremely busy following the festive period.

“Our emergency department staff work hard to ensure that patients who need urgent care are seen and treated as quickly as possible.

“For those who do not need urgent treatment, there is a range of health professionals and services readily available in the community including pharmacists, minor injury nurses, dentists and optometrists.

“All of these health experts can provide advice and treatment for a variety of minor injuries and illnesses right away, helping to avoid long waits in the emergency department.

“You can also get expert health and self-care advice without leaving home by visiting NHS inform.scot or by calling NHS 24 on 111 out-of-hours, when your GP practice or dentist is closed.”

Doctors and nurses are also asking anyone who has had flu symptoms or diarrhoea or vomiting in the past 48 hours not to visit patients in hospital.

These illnesses could be passed on to patients who are already very sick.

Frances added:“If you have been unwell in the past 48 hours it is very important that you do not come into hospital to visit patients. Even if you are feeling better you could still pass on your illness to patients in the hospital.”