Public urged to only visit A&E in a medical emergency as hospital experiences exceptional demand

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Local people are being asked to choose well as Macclesfield District General Hospital experiences increased pressure on its Emergency Department.

Local health and social care partners, including NHS Eastern Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group, are reminding people that there is lots of information on choosing the right service at the right time to help them get better quickly when they fall ill as a first choice before visiting A&E.

A spokesperson for the NHS said "Ambulances and A&E are only for emergencies and serious accidents and helping us to reduce the number of A&E visits for non-emergencies will help us to, in turn, treat those with life threatening injuries.

"Self-care is the best option for people with self-limiting, minor conditions like coughs, colds and sore throats. Over-the-counter medicines can be bought from shops, supermarkets and pharmacies easily and often during late night hours. Pharmacists are highly-qualified health professionals who can offer advice and medication for a wide range of conditions, you don't need an appointment and many have private consulting rooms."

If you are unsure you can also call the NHS helpline on 111. Calls are free from landlines and mobile phones.

Local health and social care partners urge local residents to call NHS 111 if:

· you need medical help fast but it's not a 999 emergency
· you think you need to go to A&E or need another NHS urgent care service
· you don't know who to call or you don't have a GP to call
· you need health information or reassurance about what to do next.

A spokesperson added "If it can wait and you feel you need to speak to someone you know, visit or call your GP practice for illnesses that are not life threatening. Please don't request a GP appointment to be prescribed over-the-counter medicines – instead make sure you have the essentials including paracetamol, ibuprofen, plasters, indigestion remedies and antiseptic cream in your medicine cabinet.

"Please remember to choose well and help us to really help those who need us the most."

Tags:
Macclesfield Hospital, NHS, NHS Eastern Cheshire CCG, NHS Eastern Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group
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