Chesterfield Royal Hospital issues statement after more than 1,100 people turn up at emergency department

The hospital issued an appeal on Facebook on Thursday after seeing a surge in demand for casualty care that left the emergency department full.

And a spokesperson confirmed on Friday that more than 1,100 people had attended the department from Monday to Thursday – with 305 on Wednesday alone.

“We’re starting to see higher numbers of patients and want to make sure that services don’t become under pressure across the board simply because these services are not being used appropriately,” the Royal spokesperson said.

"This is why we’re asking people to think about what service they might need; if you’re unsure then it is always worth picking up the phone and speaking to a health expert at NHS111 who will be able to give you advice, direct you to the nearest and most appropriate service and in some cases even make an appointment for you.

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"Whether it’s self-care, a call to your GP, a visit to your local Urgent Treatment Centre or a conversation with your local pharmacist, each place of treatment and advice has its own level of expertise.

"Our Emergency Department is here for potentially life threatening conditions such as severe chest pains, breathing difficulties, severe bleeding or head injuries, not minor cuts, headaches, neck pain or if you generally feel unwell.

"If you come to ED with a condition that isn’t as serious, you could face a lengthy wait for treatment as our emergency teams will deal with genuine emergencies first.

“By knowing the most appropriate place to seek treatment and advice for your health concerns, you will be seen by the right people in the right place more quickly, resulting in a much more efficient health service.”

There was plenty of praise from residents on how staff at the hospital are dealing with the surge in patients.

Marie Mcgreavy posted on Facebook: “CRH are fantastic. We are lucky to have a good hospital. Believe me all hospitals are not in their league.”

Ruby Bramwell said she couldn’t ‘thank the Royal enough’ and even when staff were ‘busy and overloaded’ they ‘still made you feel important and not overlooked’.

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