Dear colleagues,

 

Please see the following communication sent by NHS colleagues for your information.

 

Birmingham Children’s Hospital’s Emergency Department has been under significant, sustained pressure due to high levels of respiratory infections locally and unprecedented attendances.

Across the country, Children’s EDs are seeing approximately a 20% increase on previous record attendances, with a number of units reporting a lack of beds for paediatric admissions.

BWC is asking colleagues in the community, education and other sectors to help by sharing some key advice to children, parents and carers to ease the pressure on hard working staff.

Please share the following key messages through your channels, networks, websites and wherever you think it could help:

• The Children’s Hospital Emergency Department is incredibly busy – those who are not seriously ill will face very long waits to be seen and may need to go elsewhere for help.
• Remember, the Children’s Hospital Emergency Department can’t help with dental or eye issues. For an eye emergency, please attend the Midland Eye Centre at Dudley Road open 9am-7pm.  NHS 111 can help with finding and accessing an Emergency Dentist
• There are things you can try before visiting, such as:
  • • View our ‘virtual consultations’ to hear our doctors’ advice on the most common reasons people come to the Emergency Department. Click here.
    • Visit Healthier Together, a website recommended by our doctors, which has advice and resources for parents and young people. Click here.
    • Visit 111 online (for children aged 5 and over) answer questions about your symptoms on the website and they will tell you what to do next.
• Take these simple steps to keep well this winter:

§  Wash your hands regularly just like you did during the pandemic

§  Get your flu jab and COVID-19 booster

 

Please also share/retweet our regular social media updates with video advice for parents, if you are able to.

Kindest regards,

 

Fiona Denning [she/her]

Assistant Director of Communications

Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust