Increase in attendance prompts call to only use A&E in an emergency
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust has recently seen an increase in the number of people attending the A&E department at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, this is consistent with other hospitals across the country.
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust has put plans in place to ensure patients continue to receive high quality care, however in an effort to deal with the higher than expected demand people are being urged to consider other options available to them before they decide to use A&E.
Dr Tina Kenny, medical director for Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust: ‘It is important that people only use their local A&E department if they are seriously unwell or critically injured. This allows us to treat the very sick people who need our care the most.‘
Other options available for patients who are unwell include the minor injuries and illness unit at Wycombe Hospital, their GP and pharmacist and the NHS 111 advice and support service, which is free and provides telephone support 24 hours a day seven days a week.