The last few days have been some of the busiest shifts that I have ever worked and there is no sign of them letting up yet.
In more than one hospital in the same shift I heard receptionists having to educate the public and explain that Accident and Emergency was for Accidents and Emergencies and that maybe contacting their GP or an Out of Hours Doctor might be more appropriate for a cold….
In a recent report on the BBC News Website it was reported that Ambulances in the West Midlands would soon be displaying posters educating the public about selecting the right resource for your condition which would then free up resources for patients who need us the most.
After a quick search on Google I have found that it is not only the West Midlands Ambulance Service which is promoting this campaign but London Ambulance Service, Welsh Ambulance Service, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Isle of Wight Ambulance Service, North West Ambulance Service, Great Western Ambulance Service, South East Coast Ambulance Service and many other Primary Care Trusts, however they are not being quite as radical as the West Mids.
Maybe your service needs to pick up this initiative and be as radical as the West Mids, lets put posters on ambulances and carry leaflets to hand out, lets put posters in A&Es and also in Doctors surgeries and let the whole of the NHS and its staff educate the public about getting the best resource to give the best level of care rather than the default Ambulance to your door…..
