THE DISTRICT’s doctors are doing all they can to keep patients away from hard-pressed A&Es, according to a top health chief.

The Telegraph & Argus revealed last week that one in three people turning up at Bradford Royal Infirmary’s emergency department doors do not need to be there.

Dr Andy Withers, clinical chairman of NHS Bradford Districts CCG, was responding after research carried out at the BRI by volunteers from watchdog group Healthwatch said more than two thirds of people they had spoke to during a 30 hour survey in May had sought advice first before deciding to go to A&E - and most of that advice had been given by GPs.

Dr Withers said: “Our GPs are doing all they can to help care for patients locally and not refer them into A&E. Up to 30 per cent of people who go to A&E don’t actually need to be there and at this time of year, when services are incredibly busy; we would remind people only to use A&E if it is a genuine emergency.”

The survey also found that almost 11 per cent of those spoken to were signposted to A&E by GP receptionists and a further 11 per cent from the NHS helpline 111.

One person said they decided on A&E after going through a checklist on the NHS website and another admitted coming to A&E after NHS111 told them to expect to wait up to six hours for doctor to ring back.

“Some people indicated that although they had been told to attend A&E, they did not necessarily think it was the most appropriate place for their needs,” said the report. One of those who filled in a questionnaire said: “NHS 111 sent an ambulance because child hit head. Felt pressurised by 111 to go. Ambulance came and didn’t want to take us - told us to take a taxi” and another reported: “Rang NHS 111 who referred me. Doctors at A&E said emergency GP would have been ok, doesn’t know why I was advised to go. Felt bad for wasting people’s time.”

The Healthwatch survey carried out in May last year said people also reported incidences of schools requesting children be taken to A&E as the result of an accident or injury at school.

“Sometimes against their own judgement, these parents said they felt obliged to attend. Similarly, several people had been told to attend by their employer or a work colleague,” said the report.

But it also said: “When people had attended A&E without advice or referral, we found that in most cases there was an obvious self-identified need which meant A&E was the right place for them to seek help. Seventh-three of people who attended without prior advice were in this category, feeling that their needs matched the ‘Accident and Emergency’ designation.”