By ‘Support your NHS’ plea amid increase in Covid-19 patients
Healthcare leaders across the Grimsby and Scunthorpe areas are urging people to support their local NHS by ‘choosing well’ during the second wave of coronavirus.
Staff at hospitals in Scunthorpe and Grimsby are seeing an increase in the number of patients needing treatment for Covid-19 and are now appealing for the public to help them.
“Sadly, we are starting to see a rise in the number of people needing hospital care for coronavirus, including a growing number of patients requiring critical care,” said Peter Reading (pictured above), Chief Executive at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLaG).
“Despite our current local Covid alert level being ‘medium’, we are reaching out to local people now to ask them to support us.”
He continued: “For us to be able to focus all our efforts on those who really need hospital care, including those suffering from coronavirus or other serious illnesses or injuries, we need people to choose well.
“By this, I mean choosing well when seeking medical attention and by choosing well in their social lives by following the government guidelines.
“With rising levels of demand and high numbers of extremely unwell people who need to be admitted to a hospital bed, we are urging people not to attend A&E unless it is a genuine emergency.
“If you have a severe injury or a life-threatening emergency, it is vital you call 999 and of course our emergency department staff will be there to care for you. However, if you have a medical condition that is not an emergency, we are asking you to ‘choose well’ by contacting NHS 111 by telephone or online.”
Alternatively, for those in North East Lincolnshire or registered with a GP in the area, you can call the Single Point of Access on 01472 256 256.
Dr Ekta Elston (pictured below), Medical Director at NHS North East Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), added: “It is more important than ever to ensure you are accessing the most appropriate NHS service for you or your family’s needs.
“A phone call to 256256 (in North East Lincolnshire) or NHS 111 means you can get the advice you need to take care of health issues or concerns often without having to attend a healthcare setting and make an unnecessary journey. If you need to see a clinician, you will be advised when you ring.
“Coronavirus is on the increase in our area and this is one of the steps you can take to help us prevent the virus from spreading to vulnerable people who may not be able to recover well.”
The call from local healthcare leaders comes as the number of hospital inpatients testing positive for Coronavirus across Scunthorpe and Grimsby hospitals reached 57 as of 9am on Friday, October 23.
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