A NEW surgical emergency department has been established at the front of Glan Clwyd Hospital.

Orthopaedic teams have had to change the way they work across hospitals in North Wales.

This is in response to elective surgery being temporary postponed; teams have found other ways to offer support such as carrying out patient reviews over the telephone and continuing to carry out emergency trauma operations.

Louisa Banks, trauma and orthopaedic consultant at Glan Clwyd Hospital, said: “Rather than attend the Emergency Department, patients are now triaged and directed to the ideal person to deal with their injury within the large surgical emergency department.

“We wanted to create a consultant led service and maintain an environment that is as safe as possible for our patients, to reduce the risk from coronavirus and prevent recurrent and unnecessary visits to the hospital.

“The department has been working really well and other surgical teams such as the vascular, general, ear nose and throat and maxillofacial surgical teams have now moved into this area to see patients who require urgent treatment.”

Changes have also been implemented at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor and Wrexham Maelor.

Agustin Soler, consultant orthopaedic and trauma surgeon at Ysbyty Gwynedd, said: “At the start of the pandemic we knew we had to change the way we delivered our fracture clinics to minimise the patient footprint into the hospital.

“As well as running our regular on call service we now have an additional dedicated consultant available between 8am – 5pm who can make the senior decisions on what care the patient needs. This can either prevent them from coming into hospital or reduce the need for them to come back for further treatment.

“This has reduced the number of admissions and clinic appointments. Those who do need to be seen by a member of our specialist team are seen in a safe environment, treated and in some cases will need to return in a few weeks, depending on their injury.

“To adhere to social distancing guidelines we now see the patients adjacent to the Emergency Department, rather than the fracture clinic, which was an enclosed space and not suitable during these times.

“It has also been important to us to support our colleagues in the community and we are doing this by offering advice and support to staff in the Minor Injury Units who are seeing patients with injuries that can be treated locally, rather than in hospital.”

Plans have also been put in place to ensure care is still available for patients with musculoskeletal injuries.

In addition to these changes, a message is being put out to people in Wales that emergency departments are still open for those in urgent need.

The number of people attending Welsh emergency departments has fallen by up to 50 per cent since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr Andrew Goodall, chief executive of NHS Wales, said: "Providing emergency and urgent care for people who have non-coronavirus health issues continues to be a priority for us all.

"Our hospitals have stringent hygiene measures in place and well-rehearsed protocols to keep those with coronavirus or with symptoms separate from others.”

Life-threatening injuries and illnesses, which need immediate action include: Breathing problems; bleeding; severe pain; chest pain and stroke symptoms or if a child or older person with an underlying health condition suddenly becomes unwell.