Anyone passing through Sutton High Street on Friday, 30 January will notice a family of seven-foot tall yellow figures with various ailments. The giant statues are part of an eye-catching NHS campaign to explain that people should only go to A&E when it is absolutely necessary.
Winter is a very busy time for local Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments. The season puts severe pressure on hospitals with far too many people turning up for treatment for seasonal illnesses, rather than serious life threatening emergencies.
National data shows around 40 per cent of people who attend A&E departments are discharged requiring no treatment and could have been treated elsewhere. The campaign aims to help people understand the other options for healthcare and to reduce waiting times at A&E departments.
Dr Chris Elliott, Chief Clinical Officer for NHS Sutton Clinical Commissioning Group said: “We hope that this campaign will grab people’s attention and help them to understand that A&E is not always the answer. When people have a minor illness or injury, there are alternative places for them to go if they need to.
“In Sutton, our poster campaign has focused on upset stomachs and diarrhoea, cough, colds and sore throats and back ache because people suffering with these conditions often visit A&E when they don’t need to. In most cases a visit to your local pharmacist or GP for advice and resting at home will get you better as quickly as anything else.”
The campaign highlights the alternative places people can get the expert advice and treatment they need locally, including: pharmacies, GPs, the Urgent Care Centre at St Helier Hospital and the Wilson Walk in Centre.