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Hungover patients misusing A&E
Sophie Goodchild12 Sep 2008
Patients are turning up in London accident and emergency departments expecting treatment for hangovers, shaving cuts and colds, health chiefs revealed today.
Doctors say other common reasons for people visiting A&E include paper cuts, hay fever, ear ache, stubbed toes and sore gums.
Hospital staff are also getting increasing requests for sick notes from people who want a day off work.
Dr Andrew Parfitt, lead clinician at Guy's and St Thomas's Hospital, said too many people are still using A&E as their "first port of call" for many minor injuries.
He also revealed that parents bring in children who would be better treated by a GP rather than a junior doctor who is not trained in child health. He said: 'We still see people who come to A&E to be checked out for very minor injuries that don't require emergency treatment.
"We do understand that people would rather be safe than sorry, but it must be understood that too many people are still using A&E as their first port of call for many minor injuries and this is putting a strain on staff and resources - and this can result in the wrong type of care."
NHS London, who compiled the ailments list, also warned this " alarming" trend is putting unnecessary pressure on emergency doctors.
Their figures show that less than one in five A&E attendances result in a patient being admitted to hospital.
Three-quarters of people with minor ailments would be better treated elsewhere. Health officials say this proves the need to improve access to local care services to relieve the burden on over-stretched casualty units. They say London has a specific problem because of the transient nature of the population.
Next Tuesday NHS London will publish a 10-year strategy proposing major changes expected to include plans to increase the number of specialist doctors and nurses. The aim is that people will have a choice of places for treatment for nonemergency problems.
Reader views (5)
Goodness this is not new and its terrible that tax payers pay out for people who abuse the NHS. And people who need their service will not want to ask for help or can not get help because there is no room for them in the beds. There are so many people going to A&E with minor problems, I know I have worked there. From the morning after pill to period pains and phoning the ambulance service to take them. Do you realise that if you call the ambulance service and you say there is something wrong with you they feel they have to take you to hospital no matter what, just in case of an Insurance claim! There is so much abuse of the NHS and no one but no one does anything about it. It will continue so long as the managers and people at the top think they need to hold on to their jobs. To be ruthless will be too much for them. Unfortunately you need to sort things out which are sometimes not popular but in the long run is to the benefit of the people. Be strong NHS and do something.
- Martha, London, 13/09/2008 16:43
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Bring back foul-tasting placebos and horse-sized injections in the derriere! Then they surely won't come back unless it's a real emergency.
- Nigel, London, 12/09/2008 16:41
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That's what you get when something is described as "free" - it is treated as though it had no value.
- Rogan, DFW TX, 12/09/2008 16:19
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The clue is in the name . Accident and Emergency.
- Anne, leytonstone, 12/09/2008 13:06
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"They say London has a specific problem because of the transient nature of the population."
Tax payers funding free health care for illegal immigrants and EU citizens who have to pay in their own country. Just like a certain German ex-tennis player who brought his estranged wife and child over to the UK for free health care.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 12/09/2008 11:11
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