Data shows increased activity across all urgent and emergency care services

Thu, 19 Jan 2023

Data appears to show that members of the public are responding to Manx Care’s recent healthcare signposting campaign, with higher average daily attendances at Ramsey’s Minor Injuries and Illnesses Unit (MIU) over the last couple of months than in the same period in 2021.

Analysis of patients attending all of the urgent and emergency care services provided by Manx Care across the Christmas and New Year period highlights that the acuity of patients treated across Manx Care’s urgent and emergency care services has also notably increased.

MIU in Ramsey has seen a 38% increase in average daily attendances through November and December in 2022 compared to the same period in both 2020 and 2021. On certain days in recent months, the team at MIU treated more than 80 people – this is on a par with some days in the Emergency Department at Noble’s. Manx Care has been urging people to “choose well” in recent months, with all Isle of Man residents receiving a brochure outlining all of the health and care options available to them locally. The organisation has also been running a social media campaign, and posters have been displayed in venues across the Island directing people to a webpage containing information on the full range of services available, from self-care through to urgent and emergency care (https://www.gov.im/signposting).

Some days across November and December showed equal attendance at the MIU and the Emergency Department (ED) at Noble’s Hospital. This is especially pleasing as it highlights that people are attending the service that is most appropriate for their clinical needs, and in turn reducing pressure on the ED.

Attendance at the ED appears to be relatively stable, with 10% movements in average daily attendances between 2020 and 2022 for the November/December period. This data, alongside the MIU statistics, would suggest that members of the public are more often using the most appropriate service for their condition. This is corroborated by the acuity of those attending ED being greater than previous years – patients attending ED are those who are in greater need of urgent care, and those with more minor conditions are aware that they can be treated at MIU. Acuity can be described as serious illness, as well as an increase in respiratory illnesses, especially Flu A (which led to a large increase in hospital admissions over recent months).

 

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