Keep the ED for emergencies this Christmas

Published Tuesday, 17 December, 2013 at 07:30 AM

Minister for Health
The Honourable Lawrence Springborg

Queenslanders have been urged to take extra care over Christmas and only use hospital emergency departments in an emergency situation.

Health Minister Lawrence Springborg said the Christmas period was among the year’s busiest in hospitals, but many situations were avoidable.

“Emergency departments are called emergency departments for a reason - the last thing our doctors and nurses need is people coming in with ‘silly season’ injuries,” Mr Springborg said.

Emergency medicine doctors from across the state have shared some of their holiday season horror stories and popular Christmas presents were behind many of them, including:

-          A father falling from his son’s ‘ripstick’ Christmas gift, dislocating his shoulder and fracturing his clavicle
-          A man using a nail gun he received for Christmas nailing his hand to a piece of timber
-          On his first ride, a young boy impaling his leg on the fin of a surfboard he received as a Christmas gift
-          An older gentleman fracturing his nose and neck trying to manoeuvre his new boat
-          A young female backpacker suffering nasty sunburn

The Queensland Ambulance Service is also affected by those who sustain injuries during the holidays.

QAS Commissioner Russell Bowles said unprepared bushwalkers and beachgoers, as well as home handymen, were often caught out and needed assistance.

“People will head out in the hottest part of the day without enough water or sun protection and it’s only a matter of time before they’re struck down by heat exhaustion or even heat stroke,” Mr Bowles said.

“We also see a range of serious injuries from home DIY projects – including eye trauma, broken bones, burns and even electrocutions.

“If people just took basic common sense precautions, most of these injuries would be avoidable.”

Mr Springborg said Queensland now had the best performing emergency departments in the country, but that shouldn’t be a reason to use them as a drop-in medical centre.

“Our Government has worked hard to revitalise front line emergency services,” Mr Springborg said.

“I would encourage everyone to find out where they can see a general practitioner over Christmas for minor injuries, coughs or colds.

“It’s also important to remember 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“If there is an emergency, always call 000, but please use common sense as to whether it is necessary.

“No one wants to spend Christmas in the back of an ambulance or in an emergency department waiting room.”

[ENDS] 17 December 2013

Media contact: Alexandra Foley 0419 794 294

Top 10 Queensland emergency presentations for the Christmas* period in 2012

Diagnosis description

Total

Number admitted

Viral infection

245

13

Urinary tract infection

219

65

Unstable angina pectoris

202

150

Lacerated hand or wrist

197

7

Diarrhoea and gastroenteritis infection

187

54

Viral gastroenteritis

154

39

Back sprain/strain

148

39

Superficial injury of head

140

42

Chest pain

138

29

Upper respiratory tract infection

134

6

*Christmas period between December 24 – December 26, 2012