Supporting the NHS to reduce pressure on A&E departments

When a patient rings 111 it is because they need urgent out-of-hours support and they are looking for advice and help.

Our patients are at the heart of everything we do, and we aim to support them in any way they need - whether they are calling 111 or visiting us at a Shropdoc clinic. 

Supporting our patients

Our advice can be to visit the nearest Accident and Emergency department - but for most of our patients, we can help them and avoid a visit to an emergency department.

Over the last six months, we have answered over 41,000 calls, triaged nearly 52,000 cases, and our service support has meant that only a small proportion of patients have subsequently been advised to attend A&E.

The teams here at Shropdoc work tirelessly to ensure that we continue to meet the needs of our patients, all the while supporting the NHS to reduce pressure on A&E departments.

As part of that support we are also raising awareness of the ‘Think Which Service’ campaign.

Think Which Service

People in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin are being encouraged to ‘Think which service?’ before deciding on which local service is suitable for their healthcare needs, as part of a new local NHS campaign.

The campaign aims to help people get quicker urgent care in the most appropriate place and highlights NHS 111 online, the Minor Injury Units, and pharmacies as key urgent care services to use when they are unwell or injured.

The right help at the right time

Knowing which local health service to use, and when, will make sure everyone in our local community gets the right help at the right time. 

When people need medical assistance, particularly in an urgent situation, it can be difficult to think clearly about what to do. Understandably, in this situation, people will often head for the emergency department, which may not be the best place for them to get the treatment they need.

The ‘Think which service?’ campaign encourages people to familiarise themselves with local services, such as ours, and be prepared should they find themselves needing urgent healthcare.  

A Think Which Service website has been set up to provide further information about when to use which urgent care service which patients can refer to to find out the right place to help at the right time