People asked to think twice before going to A&E by health board as NHS faces ‘extreme pressure’

Patients are being asked to think twice before heading to A&E as services are operating under “extreme pressure,” a Scottish health board has said.

People to stop, think, and ask “is it an emergency?” NHS Ayrshire & Arran is urging and only come to the emergency department if you really have too.

The combination of staff absences, high volumes of frail and ill patients needing complex care, and delayed transfers are contributing to the pressure, the health board said.

Health boards across the country are struggling to cope with normal services and there is the pandemic.

NHS Lanarkshire has moved to the highest risk level, known as “Code Black” last week.

On Saturday NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde urged patients only to attend A&E if their problem was “life-threatening.”

Professor Hazel Borland, NHS Ayrshire & Arran chief executive, said, “Our urgent and unscheduled care services in both University Hospitals Ayr and Crosshouse are under extreme pressure at this time.

“This is resulting in pressures across the whole urgent care system.”

Professor Hazel added, “While most patients coming through our emergency departments are ill and need to be there, we know that some people who attend our emergency departments would receive more appropriate and quicker treatment elsewhere.”