Patients have been warned of long-waits at Bolton's A&E unit after hospital bosses introduce a new patient record system.
The Royal Bolton Hospital has issued a warning about waiting times, urging people to only attend for genuine medical emergencies.
Some patients have waited up to 14 hours to be seen for minor injuries.
Staff say an increase in the number of people turning up for treatment and the introduction of a new electronic patient record system is putting the unit under 'significant pressure'.
Attendances at the Royal Bolton in September totalled 10,500 - up by 1,000 compared to the same period last year.
In the last week there was a 10pc rise in the number of patients in hospital for more than 14 days.
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Andy Ennis, Chief Operating Officer, said the new patient record system (EPR) being introduced this week, whilst ultimately aimed at speeding up and streamlining processes, may temporarily cause further delays as staff get used to it.
He said: “In terms of people coming to A & E, the increase seems to be younger adults and many patients who could be seen by their GP or a pharmacist and really should not come to the hospital at all.
“We also currently have a group of patients who are simply not fit to be discharged and need to stay in hospital for some time. There doesn’t appear to be any one reason for this.
“Once embedded the new EPR system will bring significant benefits for patients and staff but although a great deal of preparation and training has taken place inevitably, as with any new process, it can take a while for staff to get used to it.
"This may add temporarily to the pressures we are under but the introduction of the new system cannot be delayed as its use will be important as we head towards winter.
“We’re working hard with our partners to reduce waits as much as we can, but I urge local people that in order to help our staff and those patients who really need our support, to only come to A&E if vital.”
