PATIENTS at Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester will soon be treated by on-site GPs rather than staff in the A&E department in a bid to reduce waiting times and ease pressure on emergency services.
The new streaming service, funded by a £54,000 grant from the Department of Health, is to be implemented after a study from Hampshire Hospitals revealed that 15 per cent of patients who visit A&E in Basingstoke and Winchester could receive the treatment they need from their GP.
Alex Whitfield, chief executive of Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This service will improve the experience for people attending the emergency department at Winchester hospital and it is fantastic that we have been able to secure funds from the Department of Health to put it in place.”
Pressure is expected to increase on emergency departments over the winter and it is hoped that the new service will ease this.
“We treated a record number of patients in our emergency departments last winter and expect to treat a similar number of people this year as well.
“Staff across the Trust are doing a fantastic job of treating people who come into our emergency departments, but we need everyone to help ease the pressure on them by making sure that visiting the emergency department is the right course of action.”
Steve Brine, MP for Winchester and a Health Minister, said: “This is very good news and a real vote of confidence in the Trust and the RHCH in Winchester but also the sensible way local GPs are working to integrate care. This investment will ensure my constituents get prompt, and appropriate, care if they need to visit the emergency department.”
A spokesperson for Hampshire Hospitals said: “Only call 999 in the event of a life-threatening emergency, such as persistent, severe chest pain or breathing difficulties. If you have an illness or injury that is not life threatening, you should contact your GP surgery first. GPs can treat and offer expert advice on a wide range of conditions.”
If unsure which service would best suit your needs, you should call 111, where operators are on hand to give advice.
and direct you to the most appropriate local service.”
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