Keep the ED for an emergency, it’s not a doctor’s surgery
Hunter New England Health’s Manager of the McIntyre Cluster Lynne Shands is urging members of the community to use the Emergency Department (ED) for emergencies only.
“Emergency Departments are for urgent unexpected conditions that require immediate medical assistance. They are not first aid centres or the appropriate place for routine medical conditions or getting prescriptions renewed,” Mrs Shands said.
“This is not what the ED is designed for. It’s not like a doctor’s surgery, you can’t make appointments and you DON’T get seen in the order you arrive. If your condition is not urgent or you have minor ailments, seek assistance from your local General Practitioner (GP),” she said.
Mrs Shands said no person would be turned away from an ED, however to ensure patients with the most urgent need receive appropriate care, patients in the ED are categorised according to need, NOT time spent waiting.
“It’s important to stress that for medical emergencies such as severe chest pain, people should call 000 immediately, but for less urgent things, make an appointment with your local doctor who can have your complete history to help guide their assessment.
“All people who come to an ED are assessed by the qualified and experienced nursing staff on duty and prioritised according to their condition. We don’t have a doctor in the ED 24 hours a day, so a local GP has to be called to see people who present to the Department.
“If it is a genuine life-threatening emergency, a doctor will be called and the patient will be seen as a matter of urgency.
“If someone presents with an urgent request for treatment, for say a sprained ankle, they too will be seen by nursing staff, given appropriate treatment, but asked to see their regular doctor during business hours,” she said.
Mrs Shands said it was also important to reinforce that even on weekends, the ED is for emergency care only.
“Alternatively, if anyone is concerned about a condition it is advisable to ring the ED to speak with nursing staff, who could then advise you if you need to come in to the hospital to be seen. Often the nurse can help you over the phone,” she said.
Mrs Shands said she would encourage people with chronic illnesses, such as asthma or diabetes, to see their doctor regularly to ensure their health management strategies are working for them.
“Preventing acute attacks is much better than waiting for things to go wrong and having to go to the hospital,” she said.
Contact: Kay Cope
Phone: 6776 9817 or 0419 293075