GP to see A&E patients who shouldn’t be there (From Worcester News)

GP to see A&E patients who shouldn’t be there

1:20pm Friday 10th February 2012 in News

GP to see A&E patients who shouldn’t be there

A GP has been brought in to A&E in Worcester to treat patients with minor injuries who shouldn’t have gone there in the first place.

The doctor, who started seeing patients last month, is part of a pilot scheme to ease pressure on the busy A&E department at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

He treated patients that health bosses say should never have come to A&E, including those who can be treated at minor injuries units such as at Malvern Community Hospital, by their GP or at walk-in centres such as the one in Farrier Street, Worcester.

However, hospital bosses are concerned that now they have brought in the GP more people will come to the emergency department with minor ailments when they should be seeking alternative treatment.

Speaking at a meeting of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, vice-chairman Nichola Trigg said she was concerned “we’re going to increase traffic and become a victim of our own success”.

Andrew Sleigh, a non-executive director, said he had recently visited the A&E for four hours.

He said when patients were told that they could have been seen by their GP their response had been: “Yes, but we’d have to spend 20 minutes on the phone and wait a long time.

"It’s much easier to come in here.”

As previously reported in the Worcester News the trust has struggled to see, treat, discharge or admit 95 per cent of A&E patients within four hours (the national target).

In December 88 per cent of the 11,415 were seen in that time.

This has resulted in £400,000 a month fines from NHS Worcestershire, although NHS leaders insist that money is being re-invested in helping the trust hit the target.

Penny Venables, the trust’s chief executive, said patients who waited longer than four hours often did so for good clinical reasons but acknowledged that improvements had to be made.

She said a task force had now been put in place across the NHS in Worcestershire to look specifically at A&E waiting times.

The A&E GP pilot may be extended if successful, said hospital leaders.