Darlington player urges public to use health services wisely
In the week that Darlington FC’s rearranged National League rematch with Boston United is due to take place, defender Nicky Hunt has urged the public to use the NHS wisely following a delayed ambulance response to his injury on the football pitch.
The last time these two teams met on 10 November, Nicky was injured in an accident on the pitch. He drifted in and out of consciousness for 66 minutes before an ambulance arrived.
Speaking ahead of the game, which is due to take place on 16 February, he said the ambulance delay to his accident on the pitch highlighted pressures being felt on the NHS and ambulance service.
Nicky said: “I’ve been told since my injury that there were ambulances queuing at some hospitals and diverting other patients to hospitals across the North East on that night because of a huge demand on NHS services.
“I ended up being taken to North Tees Hospital in the end to be treated because so many people were either calling 999 or going to A&E to be seen by a doctor instead of seeking treatment and help elsewhere.
“We’re being asked at the moment on TV to protect the NHS and save lives and my message to everyone is to only call 999 in a life-threatening emergency and don’t go to A&E unless you need to be there.”
While NEAS continues to be the fastest responding ambulance service in the country to life-threatening calls (known as category one incidents), Nicky’s head injury was assessed to be a category two incident. In nine out of ten cases, an ambulance should arrive within 40 minutes to these types of calls. Nicky’s ambulance arrived 26 minutes longer than that.
Helen Ray, chief executive of NEAS, said: “Firstly I would like to say sorry to Nicky for our delay and I’m pleased he has made a full recovery.
“During the first wave of the pandemic, additional ambulance resources were provided to us that meant we achieved our response times for all categories of patients.
“This additional funding was welcome, but its short-term nature has not allowed us to develop a sustainable improvement to keep our patients safe.
“There is an opportunity after the pandemic to reset this arrangement, which would allow us to plan for the longer term, improve safety and performance, and ensure NEAS is resourced at a level that allows it to fully meet response time standards.”
She added that while previous investment in NEAS now meant the trust was fully staffed with paramedics – which has not always been the case – demand had continued to outstrip resources as our population is living longer; and with more chronic conditions, putting a greater strain on 999 services even before the pandemic started.
Darlington FC chief executive officer David Johnston said: “We urge people to think before they dial 999 or attend A and E, and avoid stretching resources that are already being pushed to the limit. If it’s not an emergency, consider other services, such as 111 online, your GP or pharmacy.”
Notes to editors
For more information, contact the NEAS press office on 07559 918672 or email publicrelations@neas.nhs.uk
Health advice:
What should I keep in my medicine cabinet at home?
| Medicine or first aid | What it’s used for |
| Paracetamol and ibuprofen | Effective at relieving most minor aches and pains such as headaches period pain, inflammation in arthritis and sprains. |
| Oral rehydration salts (such as Dioralyte®) | Fever, diarrhoea and vomiting make us lose water and essential minerals, and can lead to dehydration. If you have these symptoms and can't continue your normal diet, oral rehydration salts can help to restore your body’s natural balance of minerals and fluid and relieve discomfort and tiredness. They don’t fight the underlying cause of your illness, such as a virus or bacteria. |
| Antacids (comes in chewable tablets, or tablets that dissolve in water, or in liquid form) | Stomach ache, heartburn or trapped wind and be treated by a simple antacid, which will reduce stomach acidity and bring relief. |
| First aid kit: Bandages Plasters Thermometer Antiseptic Eyewash solution Sterile dressings Medical tape Tweezers | These are some of the main items that should be in your first aid kit.
If you have small children – you should keep a thermometer and children’s paracetamol handy, and take with you if you take trips or breaks away. |
Repeat prescriptions
If you or someone you care for requires medicines regularly, make sure you order and collect repeat prescriptions in good time to ensure you or your family have enough medicine to last over the festive period. Many of the calls to out of hour’s health services are for emergency repeat prescriptions when people have run out of their medication – a situation that could be avoided with some forethought and planning. By thinking ahead for your regular medication you are helping our busy out of hour’s doctors and nurses.
Information on your local NHS services
If you are injured or unwell there are several different NHS services that you can access. If you are unsure if a service can treat your condition, just call ahead and ask.
Pharmacist
Your local pharmacy provides expert advice on common health problems and many pharmacies have early and late opening hours.
GP practices and out of hours GP services
Your GP practice treats most of your healthcare needs and is usually the first point of contact for most medical issues.
Everyone should be registered with a GP practice - if you are not registered, you can find information about local GP practices at www.nhs.uk.
GP practices are usually open Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
Many now open extended hours – sometimes earlier in the morning, later in the evening and some are open on a Saturday.
If you need to see a GP when your own practice is closed, contact the 111 service who can help on www.111.nhs.uk or dial 111.
Urgent dental treatment and out of hours access
You can contact the out of hours dental service through the 111 service.
A&E or 999 – for health emergencies
Please ONLY use the 999 service for serious health emergencies which include: a major accident, broken bones, breathing problems, severe chest pains, unconsciousness, suspected stroke and severe blood loss.
About the North East Ambulance Service
North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (NEAS) covers 3,200 square miles across the North East region. It employs more than 2,600 staff and serves a population of 2.7 million people by handling all NHS111 and 999 calls for the region, operating patient transport and ambulance response services, delivering training for communities and commercial audiences and providing medical support cover at events.
In 2019/20 we answered more than 1.4m emergency 999 and NHS 111 calls, with almost 290,000 patients taken to hospital, 23,500 treated and discharged over the phone and more than 110,000 treated and discharged at home. We responded to over 31,000 C1 serious and life threatening incidents in less than 15 minutes.