Plea after rise in A&E attendances at Queen Alexandra Hospital
HOSPITAL bosses are urging patient with minor injuries or illnesses to seek alternatives to A&E at the city’s hospital amid a rise in attendances.
Dr John Knighton, medical director at Portsmouth University Hospitals NHS Trust which runs Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham, is appealing to the public to help keep A&E clear for emergencies.
Dr Knighton said: ‘The safety of our patients is our absolute priority. If you have a minor injury or illness, please do not attend our emergency department at Queen Alexandra Hospital.
‘Instead please call 111 first and an advisor will direct you to the most appropriate service for your needs. This could be your GP, local minor injuries unit, urgent treatment centre or pharmacy.
‘If you are advised to attend the emergency department and it is not a life-threatening emergency, your advisor will book you a slot to attend.
‘Calling 111 first helps ensure you receive the right care, in the right place, in a more timely way and helps us to keep you safe by maintaining social distancing in our emergency department. It also helps us to prioritise the most clinically urgent patients.
‘Our emergency department is open at all times and anyone experiencing a medical emergency should still attend the ED or call 999. Patients who arrive at ED without contacting NHS 111 first will receive high quality emergency care if they require it.’
More than 1,100 patients have attended a booked slot at the emergency department at Queen Alexandra Hospital since the enhanced NHS 111 service launched in July.
Any patient Portsmouth and South East Hampshire who calls 111 is assessed by a health advisor who will direct them to the most appropriate service.
This could be their GP, a pharmacy, St Mary’s Urgent Treatment Centre in Portsmouth, Petersfield Community Hospital Minor Injuries Unit or Gosport War Memorial Hospital Minor Injuries Unit.
If the patient’s condition is not assessed as being a medical emergency but they are advised to attend the A&E at QA, their health advisor will book them a time slot to attend where appropriate.