Keep your loose teeth and blistered heels away from A&E over the Bank Holiday weekend, urge health chiefs

Hinchingbrooke Hospital (Image: Archant)

As May Day approaches health chiefs are asking people to use the right service for their problem and said anything minor like coughs, colds, sore throats, splinters, shaving cuts, paper cuts and hiccups can all be treated at home with over-the-counter medications or a basic first aid kit.

The top ten reasons people have used A&E when they didn’t need to are:

• cotton bud stuck in ear

• morning after pill

Addenbrookes Hospital (Image: Archant)

• loose teeth

• cough

• eczema

• toe pain

Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn (Image: Archant)

• ring stuck on finger

• insect bite

• earring stuck in ear

• blister on heel

Dr Neil Modha, chief clinical officer at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG, said, “Local pharmacies are a quick and easy way to get medical help and medication and are an underused NHS service.

“They can give useful advice on common ailments, as well as provide emergency contraception.

“A&E departments in the county are likely to get busier over the Bank Holiday and there are other NHS services available that will get you seen quicker, more efficiently and more than likely, closer to home.

“Going to A&E when you don’t need to puts the service under additional pressure, which is completely preventable by using the right service in the first place.

“Now is a good time to find out the location of your nearest urgent care centre, and also your nearest pharmacy who can give advice and information on a huge range of health problems.

“It’s also worth considering an appointment with practice nurses at your GP practice who could help with things such as insect bites and blisters.”

There are four minor illness and injury units in Cambridgeshire in Peterborough, Ely, Doddington and Wisbech.