Injured Glaswegians are being asked to avoid going to hospital and should instead GP or call NHS24 first, to speak to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) virtual A&E team.
Also known as the Flow Navigation Centre, the virtual A&E service sees and treats more than 1,500 patients every month through emergency video and telephone consultations. The service is highly experienced in managing sprains and strains and, if further treatment is required, patients are given scheduled arrival time at a Minor Injuries Unit, helping them avoid a potentially long wait for treatment.
The call comes as NHSGGC recorded 158 physical A&E strains and sprain patients over the course of a week, all of who could have been seen faster through its virtual service.
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Pauline Kerray, Emergency Nurse Practitioner from NHSGGC’s Flow Navigation Centre, said: “The Flow Navigation Centre is an ideal set-up for sprains and strains patients. When you speak to us, we’ll evaluate your injury, provide advice and we can book you in for onward treatment if necessary.
"If we think you need an X-ray, you’ll get a time to attend the nearest MIU, meaning you avoid A&E altogether. The key point to remember is to call us first before you make a trip to the hospital.”
For the 158 patients recorded to have gone straight to A&E their average wait time was around two hours, with one patient waiting more than five hours in a waiting room as higher priority cases came first. In contrast, the average waiting time for sprains and strains patients referred to the Flow Navigation Centre is less than one hour and patients received treatment from the comfort of their own home at an agreed appointment time.
Modelling from the Health Board suggests upwards of 100,000 patients per year could be seen through the virtual A&E and patients who think they need to visit A&E are encouraged to use it as the first port of call.
If you would like to access the virtual A&E service, first call NHS24 on 111. You can also find out more about the Flow Navigation service here.
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