PEOPLE who need medical attention in Cornwall are being asked to think about the best course of action before heading to A&E as hospitals come under pressure ahead of New Year.

Staff at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals are asking the community for support over one of the busiest periods of the year.

Emergency Department consultant, Dr Anna Shekdar, said: “If people are feeling unwell we’d really urge them to seek help early, rather than waiting for symptoms to worsen. A trip to the pharmacy, a visit to the GP or a call to 111 for advice could avoid admission or a trip to hospital.

“For a wide range of minor problems and injuries we’ve got a fantastic network of minor injury units around the county and our Urgent Treatment Centre at West Cornwall Hospital in Penzance is open 24 hours every day.

“We’d also ask anyone who has a relative in hospital, who just needs a little bit of extra care and support to be able to go home, to consider if they could provide that care so that we can free up space for new emergencies arriving at our hospitals.

“The period between Christmas and New Year is always a pinch point for us and it’s really about making sure people know that there is a wide range of services here for them to choose from, including out of hours GP services and pharmacies available every day, including the Bank Holidays.

"If we all get help early and make the right choices, we can reduce the risk of very long waits and corridor queues, and you’ll be helping hospital staff to keep our patients safe.”

Information about services available across Cornwall can be found at www.royalcornwall.nhs.uk/services/urgent-emergency-care/

You can also keep essential advice and waiting times at your fingertips by downloading the NHSQuicker App.