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Urgent care options
This is the message of a new campaign launched by GPs throughout the district to make sure patients the public are aware that there is a range of health services they can use when they need urgent health care, in addition to A&E hospital staff.
The GPs are concerned that too many patients who attend hospital A&E departments should have used a different service – which could deprive someone else of urgent medical attention that they desperately need during life-threatening emergencies.
Their aim is to spread the word about the different healthcare options on offer so that people can get the best possible treatment from the most appropriate health professional – and free up A&E departments to deal solely with true emergencies.
Urgent care alternatives include: – out of hours GP service, pharmacists, NHS Direct and NHS Direct Online, together with and a well-stocked own medicine cabinet in your own home.
As part of the campaign posters and leaflets are being sent out to al GP practices, opticians, dentists, pharmacists, leisure centres, libraries and schools. Buses throughout the district will carry the adverts and local radio will also be used to broadcast the message.
Audits show that around one in three visits to A&E in Bradford are by from people suffering from minor illnesses. These include: Sore throat, non traumatic limb pain/joint pain, back and neck pain, minor infections, skin rashes, constipation, colds and flu, abdominal pain tummy ache and headaches.
John Parry, GP from Holycroft surgery in Keighley and chair of Airedale GP Alliance said: It is important that people are seen by the most appropriate health professional to help them get the best care to meet their needs, as quickly as possible.
People are currently not using our excellent primary care health resources to their full potential – such as the out of hours GP service – as they may be unsure of what services are available, and how to access them. This campaign is designed to inform the public."
If people visit A&E when it is not necessary, this not only wastes NHS money, but it also diverts those skilled in dealing with genuine accidents and emergencies, such as heart attack and trauma victims, from doing their job – which could put lives at danger.
Patients could potentially face up to a four hour wait to be seen at A&E at certain times, the aim is to try and help all patients get the fastest, best possible treatment.
The last thing we want to do is persuade people to stay away from the health service but our resources are not unlimited and need to be used sensibly."
Terry Wood, A&E matron from Bradford Hospitals Trust said: "Our A&E department can get very busy and we encourage people to think about whether they really need to come to hospital. People with minor illnesses can get the treatment they need from their GP, NHS Direct, a pharmacist or self-treatment."
Pharmacists
Pharmacists or chemists can offer free, professional advice without an appointment on medicines and how to take them. They also offer advice on a range of common complaints and conditions such as coughs, colds, aches and pains, stomach upsets, athletes foot and other health issues such as healthy eating and giving up smoking.
They are highly skilled and extensively trained professionals who can help you decide whether you need to see a doctor.
Most pharmacies have a quiet area away from other customers where you can speak to them privately and in complete confidence – even about the most personal symptoms.
GP Care
If you fall ill in the evening, on a weekend, or over a bank holiday and your condition is urgent but not life threatening, you can ring your GP surgery where your call will be transferred to the out-of-hours service, or an answerphone message will give you the number for the out-of hours service. You will then receive advice or care either over the telephone, at home, or at one of three centres across the district (Eccleshill Community Hospital, Bradford Royal Infirmary, or Airedale Hospital, or if needed, at home by specially trained nurses or local GPs as part of a service run by Local Care Direct. This service has close links with other services such as the 24 hour rapid intervention teams and community nurses.
NHS Direct – is a 24 hour confidential hotline staffed by nurses and professional advisors which is particularly useful if you have a health problem and don’t know what to do. It provides information on what to do if you or a family member feels ill; particular health conditions; local health services and self-help or support organisations. The nurse may tell you how you can look after yourself at home or if the problem is very serious, they can call out an ambulance on your behalf.
They provide information on late night pharmacists, out-of-hours dentists or self-help and support groups or about a particular health condition that may be worrying you or a family member.
Contact 0845 4647. Calls are charged at local rates and for patients’ safety are recorded. For deaf people and those hard of hearing there is a text-phone service available on 0845 606 4647 and if English is not your preferred language, you can choose to use a confidential translation service.
Self Care
A well-stocked medicine cabinet will help you with many common illness.
What should you keep in your medicine chest?
· Paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin to help relieve aches, pains and raised temperatures of colds and flu
· Paracetamol or ibuprofen syrups for children (preferably sugar free). Never give aspirin to children under 16 years, ibuprofen to babies under six months or paracetamol to babies under three months, unless on the advice of your doctor
· Aromatic inhalations (decongestant for adding to hot water eg menthol and eucalyptus in order to inhale the steam) to treat catarrh, sinusitis and dry coughs in adults
· Thermometer
How to store your medicines at home?
It is very important to keep medicines in a secure, dry, cool place, out of strong direct light – and out of sight and reach of children. Keep medicines in their original labelled container and don’t store or use medicines which are past their expiry date, your local pharmacist will dispose of them for you.
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