ED Requests Non-Urgent Cases To See Their Gp First
Christchurch hospital’s Emergency Department has made another plea for non-urgent cases to see their GP first before
coming to hospital.
The CDHB’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Nigel Millar said the weekend had been ‘absolutely full’ and it was packed again by
10am today.
This is the second request in the last month from the Emergency Department.
The main reason for the overload, said Dr Millar, was both community flu and other ailments, and staff sickness.
‘We are making an all out effort to ask the public to see their GP first rather than come straight to hospital unless
the situation is urgent,’ Dr Millar said.
Dr Millar said non-urgent patients who came to the Emergency Department would have a long wait. It was better for them
to see their doctor or go to the nearest 24 hour emergency service first.