NHS Ayrshire & Arran is committed to providing safe and effective health and social care for our population in as timely a way as possible.
We continue to experience high demand for services across the whole system – in our unscheduled care and primary care services, our acute hospital services, as well as in community and social care services.
In both University Hospitals Ayr and Crosshouse our inpatient hospital occupancy levels remain high. This means that our already busy Emergency Departments have become even busier with patients waiting for admissions into the hospital.
Jacqueline Nicol, Director – University Hospital Crosshouse, Acute Services, said: “Winter has always been a busy time for our health and care services, particularly over the festive period. We continue to experience significant and sustained pressures across our whole health and care system.
“The demands on our Emergency Departments mean that patients are waiting for significantly longer than usual to be seen and assessed. However, the safety of patients and staff remains our top priority.
“We continue to prioritise those patients who require urgent care. How long you will wait will depend on the seriousness of your condition and how many patients with more serious or urgent needs arrive in the department while you are waiting.
“To help alleviate these pressures and make sure patients are seen as quickly as possible, we are asking the public to only attend the Emergency Department if they have a critical emergency or require urgent care.”
Members of the public are reminded to use the most appropriate service for their need – for example, self care, NHS Inform or primary care – and that the Emergency Departments should only be used in an emergency.
There are a number of alternative ways to access care so that you get the right care in the right place:
- Think digital first for self care. Visit NHS inform for information on treating a range of common conditions.
- Call NHS 24 on 111 or your family doctor (GP) if you have a non-life threatening condition which is not urgent.
- Your local pharmacy should be your first stop for common conditions such as colds, cold sores, sore throat, diarrhoea, indigestion or aches and pains. Your pharmacy can also help you stay on top of your repeat prescription.
- If you’re feeling anxious, stressed or low – find out how you can improve your mental wellbeing at nhsinform.scot/mind-to-mind. For urgent help and advice about your mental health and wellbeing, call NHS 24 on 111.
- Contact your dental practice if you have tooth pain, swelling to your mouth or painful or bleeding gums. Your dental practice can also give advice on oral hygiene.
- Your local optometry practice (opticians) can provide advice on red or sticky eyes, pain in or around your eye, blurred or reduced vision, or flashes and floaters.
- Your General Practice has a range of clinicians to help with both mental and physical health conditions. You may be offered a face-to-face, telephone or video consultation, as clinically appropriate.
- Your local Emergency Department (A&E) is for emergencies only, such as suspected heart attack or stroke, breathing difficulties or severe bleeding.