NHS Lanarkshire is urging people living locally to help ease pressure on vital accident and emergency services as it reports it has recorded its highest A&E attendance figures.

Over the last six weeks more than 24,000 people have presented at one of Lanarkshire’s three A&E services, despite efforts to encourage people to use the wide range of other services available for health care and advice, if it is not an emergency.

John Keaney, Divisional Medical Director for NHS Lanarkshire’s Acute Services said: “Winter is always incredibly busy for A&E but this has been the busiest on record with increasing numbers of people continuing to attend.

“This is putting enormous strain on services which are already under pressure and preparing to cope with a predicted flu outbreak. We’re asking people to stop and think before going to A&E.”

NHS Lanarkshire’s winter health campaign has been promoting the wide range of health services that people can access without having to see a GP first or spend hours waiting in A&E.

A series of short ‘Meet the Experts’ films on NHS Lanarkshire’s website explains what services are available, where to find them and what times they are open.  Experts include a pharmacist, dentist, optician, physiotherapist and a nurse at a minor injuries clinic.

There is also a useful new film on ‘self-care’, often the best way to treat a minor illness and injuries like a cough, sore throat or a burn and details on national services like NHS Inform and NHS24.

John Keaney, Divisional Medical Director for NHS Lanarkshire’s Acute Services said: “If people consult the expert help on their doorstep, then emergency units can be kept free to treat patients and vulnerable people facing serious health problems.”

Lanarkshire’s A&E services are already among the busiest in Scotland, with people typically waiting four hours or longer during peak times, depending on priority. This winter is already one of the busiest on record so people are being urged to only visit A&E units in an emergency.

To help everyone get the right help and support they need, people are being encouraged to

• Visit nhsinform.scot first, to find a nearby health expert. There’s also a self-help guide for minor illnesses and injuries and you can also chat online
• Speak to a local pharmacist for advice on coughs, colds, stomach upsets, pains, minor infections, minor burns and over the counter remedies
• Make sure you have the basics in your medicine cabinet
• Make an appointment with a GP if the illness doesn’t go away – surgeries can often arrange phone consultations or fast track referrals in urgent situations
• Call NHS 24 on 111 for urgent, out of hours support or if help can’t be accessed any other way nhs24.scot/

For more information about NHS Lanarkshire’s meet the experts films visit https://www.nhslanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk/experts/