Data appears to show that members of the public are responding to Manx Care’s recent healthcare signposting campaign, with higher average daily attendances at Ramsey’s Minor Injuries and Illnesses Unit (MIU) over the last couple of months than in the same period in 2021.
Analysis of patients attending all of the urgent and emergency care services provided by Manx Care across the Christmas and New Year period highlights that the acuity of patients treated across Manx Care’s urgent and emergency care services has also notably increased.
MIU in Ramsey has seen a 38% increase in average daily attendances through November and December in 2022 compared to the same period in both 2020 and 2021. On certain days in recent months, the team at MIU treated more than 80 people – this is on a par with some days in the Emergency Department at Noble’s. Manx Care has been urging people to “choose well” in recent months, with all Isle of Man residents receiving a brochure outlining all of the health and care options available to them locally. The organisation has also been running a social media campaign, and posters have been displayed in venues across the Island directing people to a webpage containing information on the full range of services available, from self-care through to urgent and emergency care.
Some days across November and December showed equal attendance at the MIU and the Emergency Department (ED) at Noble’s Hospital. This is especially pleasing as it highlights that people are attending the service that is most appropriate for their clinical needs, and in turn reducing pressure on the ED.
Attendance at the ED appears to be relatively stable, with 10% movements in average daily attendances between 2020 and 2022 for the November/December period. This data, alongside the MIU statistics, would suggest that members of the public are more often using the most appropriate service for their condition. This is corroborated by the acuity of those attending ED being greater than previous years – patients attending ED are those who are in greater need of urgent care, and those with more minor conditions are aware that they can be treated at MIU. Acuity can be described as serious illness, as well as an increase in respiratory illnesses, especially Flu A (which led to a large increase in hospital admissions over recent months).
The Manx Emergency Doctors Service (MEDS) was especially impacted by the recent increase in respiratory illnesses on the Island, seeing an increase in calls in 2022’s festive period, with 44% more telephone contacts on Christmas Day 2022 compared to this day in 2021, and 86% more telephone contacts on Boxing Day 2022 than the same day in 2021. This was predominantly due to recent Strep A/Scarlet Fever infection where parents rightly approached MEDS to seek support for their sick children. They also provided a valuable service across the festive period when GPs were closed.
Members of the public are reminded that MEDS is an ‘out-of-hours’ emergency service that will operate when your GP surgery is closed. The out-of-hours service is only for emergencies that cannot wait until the next working day. All patients who would normally attend the ED for an acute illness or injury should continue to do so. Should the team at the ED tell you that you should see your GP instead and it is NOT urgent then please contact your own surgery.
Manx Care’s Ambulance Service responds to urgent calls every day, and they have also seen an increase in activity over recent years – the total increase in activity during the last three years was 16.9%. This is further evidence to the increased acuity of patients in 2022.
Teresa Cope, Manx Care’s CEO, said:
“It’s great to see that there’s evidently more awareness across the Island that there are other options for urgent care than just the Emergency Department (A&E) at Noble’s Hospital, and it appears as though Manx residents are choosing well when it comes to their healthcare options and where they seek appropriate support from. It’s important that we continue to see this. I’d like to thank all members of the public who have supported our services and our wonderful colleagues across the last few weeks in particular given the extreme pressure we have been under.
“Whilst Manx Care has been under extreme pressure at times, this is due to a range of factors including the recent outbreaks of Strep A/Scarlet Fever and Flu A, as well as a large number of patients who have been very poorly with other illnesses. Members of the public considering their options will continue to help to reduce pressure on our ED. It has been a challenging time for all of our colleagues and I’d like to publicly thank them for the exceptional job they have done in providing care to all of their patients and their families.”
