Worst reasons people turn up to Canberra emergency department, revealed by Canberra Health Services' Cathie O'Neill

Canberra hospitals are struggling under the strain of high COVID-19 numbers, with 70 patients being transferred to private hospitals or aged care facilities.

On Tuesday, there were 170 people in Canberra hospitals with COVID-19.

Of those, 70 were active cases, meaning they were being treated for the virus or needing to be isolated.

Workforce shortages were also adding pressure, with the system running with less than up to a quarter of their usual staffing numbers.

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Canberra Health services chief operating officer Cathie O'Neill said some people would attend the department because it is convenient.

"We know that there's a lot of people that access the emergency department because it's easy. And they know themselves that they don't have an emergency or a condition that can't wait a couple of days," she said.

She said common mundane reasons people would seek help for emergency care included because they were constipated or had blocked ears.

"Constipation is a fairly regular one. Things in people's ears, often their own wax," Ms O'Neill said.

"Some of this is common sense. The majority of people I think know when it is an emergency. And people just need to trust their instincts."

Walk-in centres are available for people with constipation or simple gastroenteritis and ear wax removal.

Emergency Department or call Triple Zero:

Mental health emergency

Walk-in Centres

GP

Call CALMS - Canberra After hours Locum Medical Service

National Home Doctor Service

A 2006 study from the University of Wollongong found patients - particularly elderly ones - often went to the emergency department unnecessarily because they misjudged the severity of their condition.

Ms O'Neill said people needed to consider how serious their health concern was when deciding whether or not to attend hospital.

"If you've lost [ten or 20] mills of blood, you don't need to go to the emergency department. If you've lost more than that or the bleeding doesn't stop, then yes you do need to go to the emergency department," she said.

"If you've had the problem or the symptoms for a number of days and it's not getting any worse, then chances are you can just see your GP."

However, people who are experiencing a shortness of breath that's getting worse, a bone break where the bone is visible, a head injury or having lost any consciousness should go to the emergency department.

"But if you've had just a bit of a bump or you've got a graze on your head, then you can be seen by your GP or walking centre," Ms O'Neill said.

People who are uncertain whether or not to go to the ED are encouraged to call CALMS or the national healthdirect helpline for advice on what to do.

Ms O'Neill said the current pressure felt by emergency departments was not due to COVID-19 patients.

"I think people with COVID are being very responsible," she said, adding the Garran Surge Clinic was available for COVID-19 patients with any concerns or injuries.

Ms O'Neill said anyone with COVID-19 who was at the risk of severe disease - for example, people aged over 70 - should be enrolled in the COVID Care at Home program.

"And it's really important that anybody that's at risk of severe disease from COVID does make contact with either their GP or COVID Care at Home, so they can get access to antiviral," she said.

People with the virus should go to the emergency department if they have worsening breathlessness, cannot complete a sentence without getting restless, are getting dizzy or have chest pain.

There are five walk-in centres in the ACT, and they provide support for ailments ranging from a cold or influenza to emergency contraception, ear wax removal, and cuts, grazes or burns.

Ms O'Neill said: "we have highly skilled nurse practitioners that can prescribe, they can diagnose, they can order x-rays and they can certainly treat that immediate presentation of injuries or symptoms [in walk-ins]."

The centres, suitable for people aged over two years old, are located in Belconnen, Tuggeranong, Dickson, Weston and Gungahlin. They are open from 7.30am and 10pm each day.

Designed to help ease the pressure off ACT emergency departments, Ms O'Neill said they centres are the envy of other jurisdictions.

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