Flat out hospitals urge less ill patients to see GPs

Dr David Grundy says Middlemore is seeing many people with 'flu-type' illnesses. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Hospitals are urging patients to seek early medical care from local doctors unless they are seriously sick or injured, as a surge of respiratory illness swamps one Auckland emergency department.

Patient numbers at Middlemore Hospital's ED have often been 30 to 40 per cent above average in the past week.

The medical and surgical wards exceeded their capacity by 2 per cent overnight on Sunday, necessitating the opening and staffing of more beds on Monday.

"We are seeing a lot of patients with myalgia, headache, fever, cough - flu-type conditions," said emergency medicine specialist Dr David Grundy.

The rise in the number of patients with respiratory conditions is what causes the usual wintertime peak, but this year it has come earlier than usual, prompting concerns about numbers when cold weather arrives.

"We don't want to dissuade people from coming in if they are genuinely unwell," Dr Grundy said.

"In winter the biggest issue is viral respiratory syndromes like the flu ... These are things we would like people in the first instance to see a GP if they can. If they are sick, come in of course, but the waits will be long."

Auckland City Hospital, Starship children's hospital and North Shore and Waitakere hospitals also report heavy workloads, but less than Middlemore.

The Waitemata District Health Board's chief medical officer Dr Andrew Brant said: "Both our emergency departments remain busy, particularly on the weekends, although we are coping well."

Numbers had risen at Waitakere ED since it extended to 24-hour opening for adults last week, Dr Brant said.

A brochure sent to about 80,000 West Auckland households when the hours were extended says the emergency department is for emergencies, life-threatening conditions, serious illnesses or injuries.

Auckland region DHBs and primary care organisations are still developing plans for 10 "low-cost, easily available" after-hours clinics expected to open by September.