HEALTH chiefs who are set to overhaul care across north Essex say their plans will ease pressure on Colchester’s stretched A&E department.

The North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group is set to approve plans which would mean more treatments would be available at the area’s three minor injuries units in Colchester, Clacton and Harwich.

The new service will initially be housed in the existing buildings but could, in the future, be run by consortiums made up of a number of GP practices which join together.

Bosses say the changes, which would come into effect in April next year, would also see a more clinical-led NHS 111 telephone service for patients to make sure no-one who calls the number attends A&E unnecessarily.

At the moment, minor injuries units can X-ray suspected fractures but cannot re-set or plaster broken bones.

As well as each of the units having the same opening times, initial plans would see staff there being able to plaster, stitch open wounds and treat minor burns.

Ambulance paramedics will also be asked to make more accurate judgements on whether a patient needs to go to A&E or if they could be treated effectively at a minor injuries unit.

It is hoped that would decrease the number of ambulances facing lengthy handover delays at Colchester General Hospital and, therefore, free them up to attend other, more serious,incidents.

Hasan Chowhan, clinical director of the clinical commissioning group, said: “The key thing for us is to make it as simple for the patient as possible.

“I think sometimes patients will take the path of least resistance and end up in A&E and that is understandable.

“But we want to have every service singing from the same hymn sheet.

“If you do present at A&E, for example, perhaps there is a service there to tell people: ‘Do you know you can go to ‘here’ next time for help rather than coming to A&E?’

Elizabeth Amodio, head of urgent care at the CCG, added: “We recognise patients’ behaviour is not just going to change overnight.

“But what we are saying is if you phone 111 and use the out-of-hours service, a direct appointment will be made for you to attend an out-of-hours doctor.

“One thing people will see is the 111 service will be much more clinician led so they will feel they have been treated by a clinician rather than, perhaps, a call handler.

“There would also be mental health professionals available if the issue requires that sort of help.”

She added: “We did consider whether the service would be better coupled with A&E but we believed the type of service we want is better with primary care.”