Oldham hospital bosses: Only use A&E in an emergency over winter

Bosses at The Royal Oldham Hospital are urging residents to think carefully and consider which health services to use over Christmas and the coming winter months. 

Accident and Emergency departments tend to be busy over the festive period and the hospital is keen to ensure that they are free for those who are critically ill, and patients who need emergency and urgent care. 

It's particularly important when social distancing and infection prevention and control measures are in place amid the continuing coronavirus pandemic. 

They say that A&Es are for emergencies such as choking, severe bleeding or a suspected stroke, and a large range of common winter illnesses and injuries can be treated at home with over-the-counter medicines and plenty of rest.

When attending A&E at the Rochdale Road hospitals, patients may now be signposted to other types of care if they aren’t in need or emergency or urgent treatment. 

These other types of care include being sent to another department in the hospital or community, being given an appointment time to come back to a hospital department on the same day, being given an appointment with a local GP, being advised to contact their own GP, being redirected to a local pharmacy or given self-care advice. If patients need urgent or emergency care they are admitted through to the Emergency Department.

Dr Chris Brookes, A&E Consultant at Salford Royal, and Group Chief Medical Officer for the Northern Care Alliance which runs The Royal Oldham Hospital, said: "At our hospitals that have Emergency Departments in Oldham, Salford and Bury and our Urgent Treatment Centre in Rochdale we are encouraging the public to help us to keep A&E free for those who are critically ill and need emergency care, for example those with life-threatening conditions.

"We are also encouraging the public to avoid attending A&E and overcrowding our waiting areas so that we can keep everyone safe and secure as the pandemic continues. Please think carefully about choosing the right healthcare service.”

Pharmacists can also offer advice and over the counter remedies for many common winter illnesses and local people are being reminded to stock up their cupboards with medicines over winter.

For a full list of pharmacy opening times this Christmas and New Year, visit https://psnc.org.uk/greater-manchester-lpc/service-information/pharmacy-bank-holiday-opening-hours/