A number of seriously and critically ill patients have been admitted to Noble’s Hospital across the last 24 hours, leaving the Urgent and Emergency Care teams stretched given the level of treatment that these individuals require. Manx Care has begun to implement its well-defined plans in order to cope with this demand and ensure it can meet the requirements of everyone who requires emergency healthcare support in the coming days.
As part of these plans, members of the public are being encouraged to use Ramsey’s Minor Illnesses and Injuries Unit if this is appropriate for their condition over the next 24 hours, and attend the Emergency Department at Noble’s only if they need to.
Paul Moore, Manx Care’s Executive Director of Nursing and Governance, commented:
“Firstly, I would like to reassure members of the public that we are here for them, and would encourage them to choose well with regard to where they seek healthcare support at the moment. If they require urgent and emergency care or treatment at Noble’s Hospital over the next 24 hours, we will be here for them – and I would like to emphasise this.
“If you require urgent or emergency treatment in the coming hours, please do still come to Noble’s Hospital.
“However, the reason we are asking people to consider using the Minor Illnesses and Injuries Unit at Ramsey – if it is appropriate for their clinical condition – is that this takes pressure off the urgent and emergency care teams working within Noble’s Hospital, and allows them to be able to focus on those patients who need them most. Every day we see a number of patients in the Emergency Department at Noble’s who could be treated in another clinical setting, such as at Ramsey, by their GP or at a Community Pharmacy, and I would urge anyone who can make their way to Ramsey and be seen by the team there to do this.
“The team at Ramsey can treat a broad range of conditions including dislocations or breaks, sprains, minor head injuries where there has been no loss of consciousness, minor illnesses such as urine or water infections, ear, eye and throat infections, abdominal pain, abscesses and boils, muscular pain, headaches, rashes, cuts, burns, scalds and emergency contraception. They are open from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week, and have the capability to offer an X-Ray service on weekdays between 9am and 5pm.”
In addition to the Minor Illnesses and Injuries Unit at Ramsey Cottage Hospital, there are a number of other alternatives too. For example, Community Pharmacies operate the Minor Ailments Scheme and under this, people may be eligible for treatment for a number of conditions including Bacterial Conjunctivitis, inflammatory skin disorders, Impetigo, Shingles, oral and vaginal Thrush, coughs, Gout, exercise-related injuries, constipation, Nappy Rash and UTIs.
Eye conditions can be treated under the MECS (Minor Eye Conditions) scheme, the Community Dental Service in Douglas can support people with a dental emergency or those who don’t currently have a Dentist, and there are a number of options for people who require mental health and emotional wellbeing support. In addition, we would encourage people to use their GP if appropriate, and think about how they can improve their self-care by staying hydrated, wearing additional layers if need be, and keeping a small stock of over-the-counter medications at home so that they can remain well at home.
To read the full range of healthcare options available to Manx residents, please review Manx Care’s Healthcare Signposting information.
