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| Hampshire hospitals' chief urges more patients to see pharmacists | Hampshire hospitals' chief urges more patients to see pharmacists |
| (25 days later) | |
| Alex Whitfield, chief executive of Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said the level of demand was "unheard of" | Alex Whitfield, chief executive of Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said the level of demand was "unheard of" |
| A hospital trust's chief executive has urged more patients to seek advice from pharmacists amid long waits in A&E. | A hospital trust's chief executive has urged more patients to seek advice from pharmacists amid long waits in A&E. |
| Alex Whitfield, who runs Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said the level of demand for urgent care services this winter was "unheard of". | Alex Whitfield, who runs Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said the level of demand for urgent care services this winter was "unheard of". |
| She told the BBC some patients have had to wait more than 12 hours to be seen. | She told the BBC some patients have had to wait more than 12 hours to be seen. |
| Ms Whitfield said the situation was being compounded by the fact 20% of beds were being taken up by people who were ready to be discharged. | Ms Whitfield said the situation was being compounded by the fact 20% of beds were being taken up by people who were ready to be discharged. |
| The trust, which is responsible for hospitals in Basingstoke, Andover and Winchester, declared a critical incident last month. | The trust, which is responsible for hospitals in Basingstoke, Andover and Winchester, declared a critical incident last month. |
| Ms Whitfield said there was about a 25% year-on-year increase in the number of people attending her hospitals during December. | Ms Whitfield said there was about a 25% year-on-year increase in the number of people attending her hospitals during December. |
| She said: "My message for everyone is if you can go to a community pharmacist - they are the best places. | She said: "My message for everyone is if you can go to a community pharmacist - they are the best places. |
| "You don't wait four hours, you don't wait four minutes usually to see a community pharmacist. | "You don't wait four hours, you don't wait four minutes usually to see a community pharmacist. |
| "And they really can respond to a whole range of conditions, and if they do think you're so poorly you need to be somewhere else then they'll tell you and recommend you go elsewhere." | "And they really can respond to a whole range of conditions, and if they do think you're so poorly you need to be somewhere else then they'll tell you and recommend you go elsewhere." |
| Hospitals in Winchester (left) and Basingstoke have been among those under pressure this winter | Hospitals in Winchester (left) and Basingstoke have been among those under pressure this winter |
| She said the trust was also working with GPs to trial a "respiratory hub" that would allow people who felt they needed to come to hospital with coughs and colds to see a doctor. | She said the trust was also working with GPs to trial a "respiratory hub" that would allow people who felt they needed to come to hospital with coughs and colds to see a doctor. |
| Ms Whitfield said the community could also help them free up beds. | Ms Whitfield said the community could also help them free up beds. |
| "Patients are spending longer in hospital than they were one year ago and two years ago for all sorts of reasons," she said. | "Patients are spending longer in hospital than they were one year ago and two years ago for all sorts of reasons," she said. |
| "We are asking families if there is something they can do to help get a relative home more quickly that would be amazing." | "We are asking families if there is something they can do to help get a relative home more quickly that would be amazing." |
| She also urged people to take up their Covid and flu jabs if they had not already done so and to check on elderly relatives to ensure they were properly hydrated and warm. | She also urged people to take up their Covid and flu jabs if they had not already done so and to check on elderly relatives to ensure they were properly hydrated and warm. |
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