Hospital A&E 'under significant pressure'
Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustAn A&E department is under "significant pressure" as staff see a very high number of people seeking emergency care, a health chief has said.
Dr Mark Roland, chief medical officer of Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals in Surrey, has asked people to use NHS services appropriately.
"Our colleagues are working hard to ensure people receive the care they need, prioritising our most unwell patients," he said.
"With our emergency department under significant pressure, we are asking our local community to help by using NHS services appropriately." The trust runs a 24-hour A&E at St Peter's Hospital in Chertsey and an urgent treatment centre at Ashford Hospital.
Roland said using the most appropriate service could help people be seen more quickly and ensure others got the care they needed during a busy period.
The hospital trust has posted a "choose well" guide on its website to help people decide whether they need self-care at home, a pharmacy or a GP, an urgent treatment centre, minor injury unit, mental health crisis centre, the NHS 111 service or A&E.
Those with serious injuries or life-threatening conditions should go to the emergency department, the guide said.
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