Use A&E sparingly - hospital

Royal Oldham Hospital’s accident and emergency entrance

DOCTORS have made an urgent plea for the public to visit the Royal Oldham Hospital’s accidna nd emergency department only if absolutely necessary over the remaining New Year holiday

“Unprecedented” numbers of patients visited the department over Christmas.

Over the five days from Christmas Eve to December 28 staff saw over 1,300 patients - and the Pennine Acute Trust’s A and E wards at North Manchester and Bury Fairfield hospitals and the Urgent Care centre at Rochdale Infirmary saw almost 3,000 more.

According to Dr Jimmy Stuart, divisional medical director for medicine at the trust, a large number of those seen were for minor problems such as drinking too much, headaches, back pains and migraines.

Doctors are again urging the public to consider whether their condition is a real emergency before heading to A and E.

If it isn’t they suggest using their GP surgery, walk-in centre or pharmacy.