Alder Hey Emergency Department to redirect non-emergency attendees

From Monday 19^th July, Alder Hey’s Emergency Department will change the way it deals with arrivals, with anyone attending whose care is not an emergency being re-directed to an alternative service when safe to do so.

Alder Hey’s Emergency Department will still be available to all children and young people who require emergency treatment – but anyone attending who is deemed clinically to be a non-emergency issue will instead be supported to access an alternative, more appropriate service such as a Walk-In Centre or their local GP.

Over the past few months, Alder Hey has experienced unprecedented levels of attendance in their Emergency Department, and even before Covid-19, and attendances are expected to increase again as we move towards winter.

The majority of children brought to Alder Hey did not need emergency care and could have been treated by a GP, a Walk-In Centre, a community pharmacist, or even through self-care at home.

Anne Kerr, Emergency Department Consultant at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust said:

“We want to ensure that children and young people aren’t unnecessarily waiting for long periods of time in our Emergency Department, when they could have been seen and treated much quicker elsewhere.

“Reducing the amount of non-emergency cases in the department will also free up resources, allowing the team to help the unfortunate children and young people who need treatment for major trauma and serious medical emergencies.

“We are asking people to really think about whether their child needs emergency treatment and if not, to please consider other, more appropriate options.”

Dr Fiona Lemmens, a local GP and Chair of NHS Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said:

“We know that parents and carers sometimes feel unsure about where to go for help if their child suddenly become unwell, but contacting your GP practice or a local walk-in centre is still the best place to go for the vast majority of minor injuries and illnesses.

“We really want to reassure families that local GP practices are fully open, and here to help you. Due to Covid-19 we have introduced some new ways of working such as online, video or telephone consultations which can be a really fast and convenient way to receive health advice in many instances.

“However, if you or family member needs to be seen by a doctor or nurse face-to-face, this will also be arranged for you – and if it’s something urgent, we will offer you an appointment on the same day.”

If anyone is unsure of whether or not they should attend Alder Hey’s Emergency Department, call NHS 111 first, or go to https://111.nhs.uk/, for advice on finding the right support.

There is lots of helpful advice on how to treat conditions on the NHS website www.nhs.uk/conditions

People can contact your GP to book a face-to-face appointment. Evening and weekend appointments are available

Liverpool walk-in centres are also available. They continue to operate daily between 8am – 8pm. Please call 0300 100 1004 to arrange an appointment directly.