Seek help at first sign of illness, urges hospital

During January, the emergency department at Northampton General Hospital saw and treated more than 2,000 patients every week - and there is no sign of a let-up.

Around 25 per cent of patients attending at the hospital’s emergency department during January required admission for further assessment or treatment.

"A hospital admission could have been avoided"

Carl Holland, deputy chief operating officer, said: "We are seeing more people than ever before coming to the emergency department.  Many are older people, often with respiratory illness and other medical conditions and it is these patients who require admission.  

"However, it is possible that a hospital admission could have been avoided if they had been to see their GP sooner and received treatment at an earlier stage of their illness."

The hospital has discovered that many people are putting off going to see their GP because they believe surgeries are busy, and instead are waiting to see if their symptoms improve.  What often happens is they then become so unwell that they require emergency hospital admission.

Seek advice and treatment from a GP 

"We appreciate the fact that many people are doing their best to manage their illnesses at home.’ said Carl. "However, it is really important that people with existing respiratory illnesses or multiple conditions do seek advice and treatment from their GP when they become unwell.  That way they can be treated without delay and, hopefully, avoid a hospital admission."