Timewasters at A&E

The A&E is one of the busiest departments in a hospital. There is a hive of activity, such as patients queuing to be treated. There are broken bones, dislocated shoulders, sprained ankles waiting to be treated by a doctor. Then you have the paramedics rushing in with serious casualties, perhaps road traffic accident cases, urgent admissions requiring immediate medical attention or even stab wound victims present requiring urgent attention.

On a weekend usually the drunk and disorderly lot occupy a lot of the waiting room, girls falling over in high stillettos or men come in after fighting needing help with a broken nose (bit of a generalisation I know).

The NW NHS has recently posted a video to highlight some of the non-accident and emergency cases that can be treated by a GP, walk-in centre or a pharmacist. Patients wanting help with minor ailments that are non-acute and are definitely not an emergency.

Have a look at the short video clip and see what people have been visiting A&E for in the north west..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9j3ppsLdRKY