A NEW system for urgent medical care in Cornwall means you could be turned away from A+E if you’ve not been booked in – unless you are obviously in dire need.

The policy is intended to help the county’s NHS cope with social distancing and safety during the Covid pandemic.

People with a medical issue are being urged to contact NHS 111 by phone or online, at any time of day or night, to find out where they should go and when.

If needed, clinicians will make a referral directly to the Emergency Department (ED) or to another treatment unit.

People turning up at ED without a referral from NHS 111 may be directed elsewhere or have to wait until referred patients have been seen, unless they need immediate treatment.

NHS Kernow says the system is being introduced as tourism businesses reopen, and large numbers of visitors are predicted to swell the population.

’The new system will help the NHS manage the flow of patients when capacity in waiting rooms is much smaller than before, to maintain distancing and reduce the risk of infection,’ said a spokesperson for NHS Kernow.

’The waiting room at the emergency department in Truro, for example, has capacity for only seven people with two-metre distancing., compared to 40 before the pandemic.

’Contacting 111 first means everyone will get the right treatment, more quickly - and probably closer to home as well.’

The new policy also has the advantage that visitors to Cornwall won’t need to look up details of NHS services if they need urgent treatment. The 111 advisers will do that – and book them in where possible.

’Arrangements have not changed for people with serious or life-threatening illnesses or injuries. Please continue to dial 999, as before,’ the spokesperson continued.

Dr Iain Chorlton, NHS Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group Governing Body chairman, said: ’This is all about keeping people safe in a covid world, when we need to maintain distance and can’t have lots of people just turning up at A&E in an uncontrolled way. Cornwall is one of the first parts of the country to try out the system, given that we’re expecting a lot of visitors over coming days as the tourism industry reopens.’

Dr Toby Slade, Emergency Medicine Consultant at Royal Cornwall Hospitals in Truro, said: ’Nobody’s going to be locked out of Emergency at Truro, but those turning up without referral from NHS 111 may be asked to go elsewhere for treatment.

’And those who’ve come via NHS 111 will always have priority for treatment unless there’s a clear medical need.’