Can I just turn up at a and e?

[fastnfurious]

Posting for traffic... my son has an injury I think needs to be looked at at the hospital, I'm unsure if I can just turn up at a and e or do I need to call 111 first? Thanks

I took my 4yr old to a&e on Friday as he had a non-blanching rash, they ruled out the serious and sent us home, no follow up or treatment required.

NHS advice recommended A&E, following mumsnet rules, should I not have gone?

Even if the do start the calling 111 first nobody will be denied access to A and E if they just turn up anyway.

But I think they'll be put at the end of the queue after those who have an appointment? Or that's what I understood from my reading of it. Maybe triage will advise them to ring 111 while they're waiting.

hope you get there okay.
I may be making myself unpopular but first aid course i did advised to call 999. You never know if transport in the wrong way might make the injury worse, paramedics know how to handle things properly and the service would rather I'm sure that you didn't take chances.

Absolutely you should have gone Karmin! I'd take no chances with a child and a rash as you've described. I'm talking more about adults to be fair. You did require a doctor's opinion (and bloods probably?).

Having said that when my DD broke her arm at school and was in dire pain, I phoned 999 twenty minutes later they weren't there so had to phone a taxi as time of the essence. I then phoned 999 again and cancelled the call out and explained. But our hospital is ten minutes away in a car and I don't drive yet.

Here I would phone 111 just as they have the out of hours minor injuries unit and you need to call 111 to access it, otherwise I would head to A&E, yes. You need to be careful with injuries like that as they can be exasperated quickly by keeping using them etc.

Ring 111. They can direct you to an on call doctor or send a paramedic to your house. A&E really is for emergencies.

Had this exact situation last night! Wasn’t sure if I should just go to a and e, so I wasted valuable time calling 111. We should have just gone to a and e.

There have been a lot of confusing messages recently, OP, so I know where you are coming from.

Banyan, A&E is also for breaks etc. You can't get an xray anywhere else.

'I took my 4yr old to a&e on Friday as he had a non-blanching rash, they ruled out the serious and sent us home, no follow up or treatment required.

NHS advice recommended A&E, following mumsnet rules, should I not have gone?'

111 would have told you to go straight to A&E - obvs not all cases are the same. use common sense.

Go.

I went last year after a fall. A week after a fall, my wrist didn't appear to be getting better. I got an emergency Dr appointment and she sent me straight to A&E. It was broken. Fortunately, I'd immobilized it or the consequences might have been worse.

A&E is for ACCIDENTS (like your DS had) and EMERGENCIES e.g. suspected heart attacks, sepsis etc. It's the more frivolous stuff that Hancock is trying to filter out. If you have a minor injuries unit nearer, they'll also deal with the sort of 'minor' accident your DS had.

I drove myself to A and E when I knew I'd broken my wrist.

I'd probably try a minor injuries unit first if your local one has x-ray facilities.

I went to minor injuries a few weeks ago with a broken toe and was told I should have rung 111 first to speed up the process once I got to minor injuries and limit the amount of time in there but like pp said they're not going to turn you away if you just go. Hope it's all OK.

Bring snacks, drinks and make sure your phones are charged to amuse yourselves while waiting. Sundays can be very busy.

I went 2 weeks ago when my dd banged her head, didn’t phone ahead and they triaged at the door.

I drove myself to A and E when I knew I'd broken my wrist

I doubt you were safe to drive...

Phone 111. They will undoubtedly put you in the queue for a call back. Which will probably take a minimum of 45 minutes. Meanwhile head off to a&e. If the call comes and suggests something else en-route; nothing lost. If the call comes when you are at a&e either you will already be there and registered or you de-register and follow alternate 111 advice.

Assuming you have hands-free in the car.

Years ago I was in Spain (Tenerife or somewhere) and I was so impressed with the service there. They have little medical centres (not based in a hospital) with xray facilities and blood testing facilities. Xray showed up a serious chest infection and I was prescribed antibiotics there and then which were given to me at the facility. I think I was only 20 minutes waiting to be seen. I've spent 11 hours waiting before a decision was made to admit me. This was sitting on a hard chair in agony in a place called Ambulatory care (whatever that was). Triage nurse sent me to the OOH GP, who then sent me to this Ambulatory care place. I really should have been sent immediately to majors. I was NOT impressed. Agony and vomiting while waiting. Couldn't prescribe pain relief as no doctors there. Awful.

@SorryImKnew

That's an interesting proposal actually. I'd be all for it if it reduces unnecessary patients in A&E. In the past year, any time I've gone to A&E I've been admitted (about 5 or 6 times), so I don't go for any little thing (I have a persistent illness), but I can't help but feel judgey about people who look as healthy as oxen, sitting in A&E chatting and playing on their phones. I know I'm not a doctor, but you can tell when someone is ill by looking at them.

No, you really can't a lot of the time. I looked OK when I had appendicitis and was taking care of my children, and didn't look too bad when I'd broken and dislocated my leg in 3 places. DS goes hyper when his oxygen levels dip so when he had asthma issues he looked like he was merrily playing. DD had a deep abscess that didn't respond to medication and needed treatment in a&e, she looked absolutely fine. You absolutely do not know by looking at someone.

@fastnfurious The rib pain would actually worry me more than the heel - I was told in A and E if you break your ribs there is a risk of punctuating your lung (I realise that is a bit well my friend is a doctor and says your head will fall off if you don't go to A and E immediately but it did happen. I wasn't climbing though!)

Hope he is OK.

OrangeGinLemonFanta Well they looked grand to me and all bar one ahead of me were sent home (think there were 12 ahead of me). I was admitted. I was visibly in agony groaning in pain. But I am prone to histrionics when I'm in pain

@SorryImKnew

That's an interesting proposal actually. I'd be all for it if it reduces unnecessary patients in A&E. In the past year, any time I've gone to A&E I've been admitted (about 5 or 6 times), so I don't go for any little thing (I have a persistent illness), but I can't help but feel judgey about people who look as healthy as oxen, sitting in A&E chatting and playing on their phones. I know I'm not a doctor, but you can tell when someone is ill by looking at them.

Both times I’ve been to A&E are because I needed my wrist xrayed after a fall. Both times I was sitting alone playing on my phone. With the other hand! I was extremely anxious and the phone use kept me calmer. To look at me you would have assumed there was nothing wrong. Both times my wrist was broken. The first time I had three fractures, scaphoid, ulna and radius. Second time luckily only two. Should I not have gone?

I took my DS to A&E yesterday due to possible testicular torsion. I had started to call 111 but was holding on for ages and it's potentially very serious. We were seen within an hour. Good luck

In that case you'd have been sent to minor injuries, not to the OOH doctor where I was sent with the 12 oxen before me Crocky!