People across Forth Valley are being asked to make more use of local minor injuries, GP and pharmacy services to avoid putting additional pressure on Forth Valley Royal Hospital which is currently very busy as activity continues to increase.

While this includes a number of patients being treated for Covid-19, most of the recent admissions are people with other health conditions who require urgent care and treatment.

Andrea Fyfe, Director of Acute Services for NHS Forth Valley, said: “Over the last few weeks we have seen a significant increase in the number of patients who have had to be admitted to hospital for urgent care or treatment.

“While most of these cases are not related to coronavirus, like other hospitals across the country, we are also seeing an increase in the number of patients who have tested positive for Covid-19, including some patients who require intensive care. These increased admissions, on top of the ongoing work to re-schedule many of the operations, scans and treatments which were paused earlier in the year, means that all areas of the hospital are currently very busy.”

“We would therefore ask anyone with minor injuries and less serious health issues to make use of alternative local services to help free up our staff to focus on our sickest patients. This includes Call MIA – a new service for patients across Forth Valley which provides a quick video assessment service and clinical advice for a wide range of minor injuries which could help avoid a trip to hospital. GP Practices across the area are also open and able to provide telephone and video consultations as well as face-to-face appointments or home visits, if required.”

Early feedback from local patients who have used the new Minor Injuries Assessment service is very positive and it can be contacted on 01324 566130 daily from 9.00am-9:30pm. Anyone who needs to be seen is given an appointment so they don’t have to wait when they attend and times are staggered to avoiding waiting areas from becoming too overcrowded and help keep patients and staff safe during the ongoing pandemic.

The Call MIA service can provide advice and treatment for a wide range of common minor injuries including – minor burns and scalds, infected wounds, sprains and suspected broken bones, cuts and grazes, minor ear and eye injuries.

GPs across the Forth Valley are open and Practice staff continue to provide healthcare advice and treatment via telephone and video consultations as well as face-to-face appointments and home visits, where appropriate.  Anyone wanting to speak to a member of the Practice team, which in many areas, includes physiotherapists, mental health nurses, advanced nurse practitioners and pharmacists, should call the Practice first for advice.

Pharmacists across Forth Valley can also provide expert health advice and, under an initiative called Pharmacy First, can also provide free treatment for a wide range of common health conditions without the need for a GP prescription. More information about the scheme and list of conditions covered can be found at www.nhsforthvalley.com/pharmacyfirst