A&E 'for life-threatening cases only'

ATTENDANCE rates at the Accident and Emergency department of Sheffield's Northern General Hospital are four per cent higher than at this time last year, new figures have revealed.

By The Newsroom

Published 2nd Nov 2010, 10:02 BST

Updated 2nd Nov 2010, 10:02 BST

Over the last few weeks there has been an increase of more than 250 patients each week going to the A&E department, despite the fact that many of those people could have been treated elsewhere.

Doctors at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Trust are now asking patients to make sure that they are aware of all of the city's health services, which include the walk-in minor injuries centre at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital and the GP health centre in Broad Lane.

These units are open from 8am to 8pm every day, 365 days a

year and offer an alternative to A&E.

Francis Morris, a consultant in emergency medicine at the Northern General Hospital, said: "The only patients who should be treated in A&E are those with life-threatening or very serious illnesses. All others, that is, those with non urgent and minor injuries, should be going to the appropriate places for their care and treatment."

Sheffield Doctors