Petrol pumps in Norfolk are being used in a campaign to get people to think twice about whether they need to use hospital accident and emergency departments when they are ill.

Temporary covers are being put on about 368 petrol nozzles at 23 petrol stations across the county.

They are designed to make people think about the health service options available instead of just using A&E when they need medical attention.

Norfolk NHS says its awareness campaign is needed because A&E departments have become a first port-of-call for many people when they need medical advice, instead of only being used in an emergency.

Between January and November last year, more than 60,000 people attended Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital A&E Department and 15,000-plus of these patients only needed a consultation and no further treatment.

A Norfolk NHS spokesman said: “A recent national survey showed that around 70 per cent of patients who attend hospital A&E departments could have used a different NHS service. This statistic is being used on the petrol pumps to encourage people to use the service in appropriate situations.”

The high numbers of people who could have been seen at alternative medical sites means that people in genuine need of urgent attention may have to wait longer than otherwise necessary, while patients with minor complaints who could be seen elsewhere are waiting unnecessarily for attention at A&E, he pointed out.

Dr Bryan Heap, NHS Norfolk’s medical director, said: “People should only be using the 999 ambulance service and hospital A&E departments in a genuine emergency.

“These are services for people who are seriously ill and in need of emergency care – they are not for minor injuries or general health problems.

“There is a wide range of NHS services available which can provide help and advice on a host of common problems and ailments and there are things people can do to help themselves, if the complaint is minor.”

Read the full article: Lynn News.