A&E or doctor's surgery?

[6demandingchildren]

This morning my knee have way from under me and I fell, I have been in pain since but it's ok if I don't move my leg, I can walk as long as my leg stays straight, so I know this can wait until the morning as it's not an emergency but I don't want to waste a doctor's appointment (if I get one) if he only send me to A&E.
I have done this before many years ago and was in a splint type thing.

I think NHS trusts are increasingly trying to rename A&E to being emergency centres. Because the problem with calling them A&E is that one persons accident may be a cut, sprain or other non-life threatening injury when really the place is there for medical or trauma injuries.

Yes this is an accident. From what the op says, it doesn’t sound like an emergency. So ring 111 who may well say sit tight and see someone tomorrow rather than cab it to the hospital.

So instead of just going to A&E some of you think op should waste a gp appointment?

You need to go to A&E to be assessed - this injury is going to need an x-ray and possibly an MRI scan to assess the extent of your injury. It is possible you have damaged one of the major knee ligaments and that needs treating as soon as possible

It could be a tear in the cartilage. I’m not sure what the GP can do unless they have X-ray vision. Minor injuries or A&E if not imo.

A few years ago I stayed at home after a fall on the ice as I was hoping that I would just feel better in the morning - it was a big mistake as what I had was a major, and life-changing injury.

Well I do. As a means of triaging and suspecting there might be a huge difference in cost between a GP appointment and a consultation at A&E.

I've been referred directly for an x-ray by the GP. Avoided waiting around in A&E so a GP appointment doesn't have to be pointless

Knee instability can have many different causes - but some of them are potentially serious and may require urgent treatment or surgery - such as - meniscus injury, muucle tear, ACL tear or rupture, dislocation or subluxation with nerve damage

You need to be seen in A&E as you probably need to be assessed by Orthopaedics

Janleverton, totally agree! Call them Emergency Rooms like the US. Otherwise apparently countless people say "but she's had an ACCIDENT!" therefore A&E must be the place to be 🙄

I tore my meniscus this year, I was fine moving backwards and forwards but twisting and sleeping was agony. X-ray showed nothing, had to have an mri.

Well an MRI is going to take some time to organise at A&E if they’re dealing with life threatening cases as a priority. My Gp will refer for x rays and if x rays show no injury but pain and lack of mobility persists, they’ll refer for further investigation.

I thought most surgeries will release appointments for urgent cases each day, so non urgent appointments can take time, but urgent cases seen more quickly. Me personally, I would make sure taking appropriate pain killers and try and sleep on it and reassess in the morning depending how it felt then and tak8ng account whether could be seen at a MIU or GP first.

Hope it’s nothing serious OP and obviously you’re better placed to know how badly you need to be seen.

Could you see a nurse or get a phone appointment for yours drs surgery? They can refer you for an XRAY with out going in im sure.

I have to go back tomorrow and see a specialist as I have done something to the cartalige and tendons.

Was meant to say thank you to everyone who said to go to a&e

Wondermoomin

Since when has an accident not been an a&e job.

People that say "Dont go to a&e"
Can be putting someone at serious risk.

Unless you are medically trained, have xray eyes then do not give the advice of not attended a&e

So glad you went to A&E. Not a medic but my Dad, both brothers and best friend all have had cartilage tears and your description sounded familiar. Hope they get you sorted out quickly.

Not getting medical treatment from the NHS is the new 5 day roast chicken. It's so sad. It's only when you move elsewhere you realise how horribly tragic the death of healthcare in the UK is. Even in third world countries I have worked in, people are not ashamed of getting seen. Actually both my assistants spend half their lives at the hospital, antibiotics for everything in Asia.