Don’t go to A&E unless you have to

Waiting times are expected to be longer for those who require urgent medical care.

A spokesperson for NHS Borders said: “We are attending to patients as soon as we can, however, you may have to wait longer than you would normally expect, and patients will be treated according to clinical priority.

“If you are able to come to the department alone please do so ... the waiting room currently has limited capacity due to physical distancing measures, so this will allow us to keep as much space free as possible for patients.

“Once you have been triaged we may ask you to return to your vehicle to wait if it is safe for you to do so.”

Patients are asked to use the NHS inform website in the first instance to access advice on common symptoms, guidance for self-help and where to go if further medical care is needed, use the NHS 24 Mental Health Hub and Breathing Space telephone helpline to access mental health advice and guidance, and to use NHS 24 and the out of hours service if they are too ill to wait for their GP practice to open and provide the clinical advice and help they need.

Also, Borderers are asked to attend their local pharmacy for treatment of minor illnesses such as coughs, earache and cold sores, along with common clinical conditions such as urinary tract infections, and to contact their GP practice during the day for an appointment or over the phone advice for example if you have non-life threatening but painful injuries such as a deep cut, a sprained ankle or a minor burn injury.

Also, if you are showing symptoms of Covid-19, do not attend A&E, but phone NHS 24 on 111. If the NHS 24 healthcare professional you speak to deems that you require further clinical assessment you will be directed to the appropriate care locally.