Christmas and New Year are the busiest time of the year for emergency departments across the country.

Did you know around 350 people each year injure themselves putting up Christmas lights? And there are many other hazards around.

There’s lots of advice on the NHS England website on how you and your family can stay safe this Christmas as well as advice for everyone on staying well over the winter.

When you’re injured or unwell, choosing the right care first time can save you time and effort, as well as helping us to make the best use of NHS resources. Find out about services in your area on the NHS Choices website.

If you do need to visit A&E, you may see our emergency department safety checklist in use. Developed by University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, we’re now rolling out the checklist to emergency departments across the region.

The aim of the emergency department (ED) safety checklist is to standardise and improve the delivery of basic care in EDs, improve resilience in EDs during periods of crowding, and improve the safety and clinical outcomes for patients accessing the emergency care system, particularly at busy times like Christmas.

You can download our toolkit on the ED Safety Checklist here. 

Posted on December 12, 2016

> Back to index

  twitter   facebook   linkedin