A member of staff at University Hospital Hairmyres in East Kilbride has warned that their A&E Department has been "extremely busy in this last couple of weeks" and seeing as many patients as ever in recent years.
A&E consultant Calvin Lightbody made the admission in a video shared online this afternoon by NHS Lanarkshire on their Twitter page.
And he said that while the hospital has treated a number of "seriously ill and critically ill patients" in the past while, staff have also had to treat "a number of patients with conditions that really would be best treated elsewhere".
As such, he has issued a reminder to the public to contact NHS24 or seek advice using the NHS Inform website, while noting that if someone has an emergency condition then they should of course continue to seek assistance at their local A&E Department.
He said: "Like many departments across the country our A&E Department has been extremely busy in this last couple of weeks. Certainly as busy as at any time I can remember in recent years. While we've had a number of seriously ill and critically ill patients in in that time, we've also had a number of patients with conditions that really would be best treated elsewhere.
"So things like long-standing back pain, skin rashes, eararche, sore feet. Things that really perhaps shouldn't be in A&E in the first place. If you are not sure of where to go to with a healthcare problem, then please phone NHS 24 on 111. And they're available to help at any time day or night. If you just need healthcare advice then please inform the NHS Inform website which is at www.nhsinform.scot.
"Please continue to make use of your GP service and pharmacy where possible. I can assure the public that while the A&E Departments are extremely busy, we are still very much open for business. And if you have an emergency condition then please continue to use A&E as usual".
