It’s that time of year again, our hospitals are under pressure, but are we creating some of these problems ourselves?

Are we simply going to A&E because it’s late and the GP is closed?

On the very rare occasions that I have had to visit the Accident and Emergency department of a hospital, there are often people sitting there for a very long time looking relatively “well”.

Surely the clue is in the title?

Accident and Emergency.

We really shouldn’t be popping in with simple aches and pains.

It’s been well publicised in the press and social media recently that we need to make the right choices as an alternative to heading straight to A&E.

Next time you have toothache or an upset tummy, ask yourself is A&E really the right choice?

I recently looked up my local health board website. There are a huge range of alternatives to blocking up your local emergency department with an illness that could easily and quickly be dealt with somewhere else….

Let’s help the hospitals to help us!