Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Is this a&e, walk in, or GP?!

38 replies

LittleRebelGirl · 31/07/2023 16:07

So my other half has a very sore hand with a small lump pressing upwards on the skin. The back story is that 10 years ago he fell and put his hand through a mirror that had been left on the floor in his student accommodation. He pulled out the shard of glass, bandaged up and thought nothing more of it. A year later a shard of glass pushed its way through the skin and he was seen in a&e and it was removed.
This time it seems the same thing is happening 10 years later 🤢😱. It isn't through the skin, but is right under the surface. You can see and feel it. His hand is sore and bruised in the area. We have tried to get through to the GP to enquire if he should be seen there. No answer. Same for the walk in centre.
So does he go to a&e, or persist with the other services? Walk in is not always staffed with doctors, and is a long journey so we always ring before going there - but with no answer all afternoon we just don't know what is best to do.
I'm assuming he needs local, skin incision, removing the glass (and maybe an xray or something to check for further shards that may one day wish to appear!) which seems more than a GP can do, but a toss up between walk in and a&e!

OP posts:
dontgobaconmyheart · 31/07/2023 16:22

Can he not call 111 and ask their advice of who to contact/where he might need to attend?

MaggieFS · 31/07/2023 16:24

I agree 111. Based on what you've said, it's not A&E IMHO, unless they decide that's the best/only way for treatment.

Wigeon · 31/07/2023 16:26

Sounds perfect for minor injuries unit - find your nearest here

Why does it matter if doctors will be there? It could be that this can be helped by a nurse /nurse practitioner/ some other kind of health professional they will have there.

It's not really an accident or an emergency...

Find Minor injuries unit services

https://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/other-services/Minor%20injuries%20unit/LocationSearch/551

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General health
PinkButtercups · 31/07/2023 16:27

Minor injuries then they will refer you onto A&E if necessary.

JuneOsborne · 31/07/2023 16:27

I think this is an A&E job.

Although, until very recently we only had a walk in gp or A&E. So it was either risk the 6 hour wait only to be told you go to A&E.

A minor injuries unit has just opened, so possibly I'd try there, but if you don't have one...

PinkButtercups · 31/07/2023 16:28

But definitely not a GP. They wouldn't be able to do anything just send you somewhere else.

RoseBucket · 31/07/2023 16:29

It might need an X-ray to see what’s going on so minor injuries if they have that option otherwise it does sounds like an A&E job I can’t see your GP being able to deal without seeing what they are dealing with.

cestlavielife · 31/07/2023 16:29

Gp can refer for an appt so you wont need to be waiting hours

ladyvivienne · 31/07/2023 16:32

Disagree!! Absolutely a GP job. They will then book you an appt to get it looked it - saving you sitting wasting your time and A&E's time.

It's not an accident and definitely not an emergency, he' not on the verge of dying.

Just book a GP appt. Job done.

LolaSmiles · 31/07/2023 16:35

It would be minor injuries or urgent care in my area. Unless it's a small hospital, the A&E is on the same site and they can refer people into A&E if needed.

AnnaMagnani · 31/07/2023 16:36

When DH had glass stuck in his hand it was GP to X-ray to A+E to plastics. The whole thing took weeks as had to be removed in theatre - and he was warned that if it was too small it might just be left.

Step one it doesn't matter who is there as long as they can order an X-ray.

Nobody is going digging about in a hand for a piece of glass they can't see, he was lucky the first time to get A+E to remove it.

Cotswoldmama · 31/07/2023 16:37

I work at a gp surgery and I'd be saying go to minor injuries. If it needs an x-ray or scan or cutting open that won't be done at a gp surgery.

UsingChangeofName · 31/07/2023 16:39

I think this very much depends on what you have, near you.
So some 'A&Es triage you at the door and re-direct you to the right place on the same site - 'Minor Injuries' or 'GP services' etc. Some areas don't have Minor Injury Units. Some GPs are part of a 'medical centre' which would handle this sort of thing in house.
I'd have thought the best generic advice is to call 111 and they will direct you to where you need to be.

Ohhelpicantthinkofaname · 31/07/2023 16:43

If you went to our A&E you’d probably be sent to minor injuries on the same site. But not everywhere works like that. We have other units locally which are purely minor injuries which is where I’d say is probably the most appropriate place to go, but depends how much pain it’s causing him. Do you have a minor injuries unit near by? Is that what the walk ins are? Here the walk ins were gps you could go to without an appointment before they were closed.

Original poster
LittleRebelGirl · 31/07/2023 17:03

I typed a response earlier to the 111 option to say they are absolutely abysmal and we have had nothing but terrible advice from them previously.
I deleted it and thought, well, okay. Let's try.
Guess what? They told him to go to a pharmacy 🤣🤣🤣🤣.

OP posts:
JuneOsborne · 31/07/2023 18:48

So, what are you going to do? 6am at A & E is much quieter than 7pm at night.

nhsteabags · 31/07/2023 18:54

ladyvivienne · 31/07/2023 16:32

Disagree!! Absolutely a GP job. They will then book you an appt to get it looked it - saving you sitting wasting your time and A&E's time.

It's not an accident and definitely not an emergency, he' not on the verge of dying.

Just book a GP appt. Job done.

Book an appointment to where though? Because they can refer to a&e but they can't book an appointment. They just give you a letter to explain to a&e what the problem is but they still have to wait like everyone else for hours.

alexdgr8 · 31/07/2023 18:56

i'd go to A&E now, before it gets busier.
our local minor injuries is very minor, no x-rays after 5pm etc.

Astromelia · 31/07/2023 18:57

Minor injuries if you can drive to one. Can you?

BadNomad · 31/07/2023 19:01

GP. They can send your DP for an outpatient x-ray and refer him to a surgeon. Something that's been in there that long needs a bit more work to remove, and you want any other fragments to be removed too.

ifonly4 · 31/07/2023 19:01

GP won't do anything now and no guarantees if you wait until the morning, they'll be able to do much. This is based on my DD's experience - twice contacted GP who was willling to do an immediate referral to hospital, but couldn't get through. She ended up having to walk into A&E and wait, to have it confirmed she'd be having an operation within hours.

Original poster
LittleRebelGirl · 31/07/2023 19:01

So after they suggested the pharmacy and he very politely explained how they could not remove glass embedded under the skin that had been there for 10 years... they said he could go to minor injuries. However they suggested the nearest was over 15 miles away. Which isn't the case. He politely declined and said he would attend the local minor injuries unit (which they said doesn't exist). You have to attend a&e here to be directed next door to the minor injuries unit. They do a quick triage and then direct to minor injuries next door if appropriate. He just didn't want to waste a&e time if the walk in could help. The walk in is in another town though, so again, not ideal to have to travel to to be told we can't treat you, go back to the a&e which is 2 miles from our house!
It is all very confusing! Anyway, I'll update as to what hopefully comes out of his hand later!

OP posts:
Original poster
LittleRebelGirl · 31/07/2023 20:16

Been seen in minor injuries, xray done, confirmed just one piece in there, but they have said they don't know if it is glass (well, unlikely to be anything else 🤣). He has to wait for review now.

OP posts:
Willmafrockfit · 31/07/2023 20:32

glad he was seen at least

Swipe left for the next trending thread