Grimsby A&E Staff Urge Patients to Think Before Visting
Accident and Emergency staff in Grimsby have encouraged patients to think carefully before visiting the department following a host of inappropriate reasons for seeking treatment, including dental pain, earache and a sore throat.
Bank holidays are notoriously busy for emergency departments and staff are eager for patients to think about their options with two bank holidays approaching in the next week.
Patients with dental pain often visit emergency departments, but there is very little that doctors and nurses can do to help. Visiting a dentist is much more effective because they have the relevant training, equipment and resources to treat the problem, rather than simply stopping pain and discomfort.
Oltunde Ashaolu, clinical director for the Accident and Emergency department at the Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby, said that it is important that patients think about whether their illness or condition requires urgent treatment to ensure that people who have genuine emergencies can be treated as quickly as possible. There are a number of alternatives to visiting the emergency department, including visiting your GP or dentist, going to a sexual health clinic or even asking a pharmacist for advice.
Mr Ashaolu was keen to stress that A and E is not an alternative to going to the GP and should only be used for injuries and illnesses that require urgent treatment, such as chest pain, breathing difficulties, broken bones, deep wounds and abnormal bleeding.
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