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Islanders are being urged to keep the General Hospital clear to handle genuine emergencies amid a rise in the number of people using the Emergency Department as their first port-of-call for minor illnesses.
The Health Department has asked islanders suffering from coughs, colds or viruses to make an appointment with their GP, visit a pharmacy, or use the Jersey Doctors on Call out-of-hours service – unless there's is a genuine emergency.
Health officials hope that a change in behaviour will mean the waiting times at Emergency Department will remain manageable, with clinicians able to promptly treat those who have found themselves seriously ill or in an emergency situation.
In a further bid to keep patients safe, a reminder has been issued to anyone considering a visit to friends of relatives in hospital that they should not visit if they have any symptoms of respiratory illness (cough or fever) or have been experiencing vomiting or diarrhoea.
The Jersey Doctors on Call service is operational every day of the year, including weekends and public holidays, providing appointments at the service's base in the Gwyneth Huelin wing of the Hospital, telephone advice and home visits.
Full details of operating hours and fees can be found online.
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