Slips, trips and falls patients rise by almost 100% at Grampian Emergency Departments

 

With snow and ice affecting the region, almost 160 people went to the region’s Emergency Departments, at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and Elgin’s Dr Gray’s Hospital, following slip, trips and falls between Friday and Sunday.

 

Geraldine Fraser, chief officer for acute services at NHS Grampian said: “On average we’d have expected to see about 80 patients across those three days in November – in total we saw 157 people who were injured. That doesn’t include any additional attendances at minor injury units or GP surgeries.

 

“Winter weather has a huge impact on our hospitals. We see more falls when the weather is like this, and they are worse than the typical presentations. That has consequences for the length of time that our staff need to spend with a patient – which in turn affects the time people wait to be seen and we apologise to everyone affected by that.

 

“The weather is now thawing but there is still snow and ice around the region, and we’d ask people to be aware and take care when they are out and about.”

 

Ms Fraser said north-east hospitals and the health care system as a whole are still extremely busy following the weekend - with around 30 patients still awaiting surgery after falls and the number of people needing care packages to go home increasing, impacting on bed availability.

 

Ms Fraser added: “All cases arriving at hospital, including those by ambulance, continue to he triaged with those facing life-threatening situations – such as heart attacks or strokes – admitted rapidly for life-saving treatment as an absolute priority.”

 

Emergency Department consultant, Dr Catharina Hartman offered advice on when you should head straight to hospital following a fall and when it is best to try self-medicating or phone NHS 24 on 111.  

 

“When you fall, take stock – are you able to move all your limbs and joints? If you can, slowly but surely get up and get going. If you are able to stand and walk, then that is safe to do. Then take some pain relief,” Dr Hartman said.

 

“We often see patients who haven’t taken any pain killers before arriving at hospital and that simple intervention can allow us to do a better evaluation of what the injury is but also provide comfort to the patient, who has attended because they are in pain.”  

 

Dr Hartman added: “If you have a small amount of swelling, please try resting it at home, icing it and elevating it. If anything is looking completely out of place, it is a head or neck injury or there’s a big wound, that is when you need to come to the Emergency Department straight away.  

 

“Typically, if there is no swelling, or very little swelling and you are able to move freely, you can be fairly reassured it is not going to be a bad fracture.  

 

“We see swelling with sprains and other soft tissue injuries as well, but if there’s no swelling then you can be assured it is nothing serious.

“Put an ice pack on the injured part, elevate it and take pain relief. You can also consult the NHS Inform website for more advice before heading to hospital.”