Thought your Christmas was busy? Then spare a thought for the clinical staff who worked in the Tauranga and Whakatane emergency departments over the holidays.

The Bay of Plenty District Health Board says a total of 3108 people were treated at either department over a 12 day period, which began Christmas Day and finished on January 5.

More than 3000 people presented at either the Tauranga or Whakatane emergency departments from Christmas Day to January 5. File photo.

In Tauranga, an average of 171 people presented to the ED daily, which has increased from 150 patients in 2013. New Year's Day was the busiest with 191 presentations.

Tauranga clinical director Dr Derek Sage says while tourists bolstered the numbers, too many people with minor ailments are still presenting to the ED.

'The emergency department is for emergencies. If a medical problem can wait until a regular working day, or be attended by an alternative source including GPs, pharmacies and dentists, then the advice is to utilise them.”

In Whakatane, the ED treated an average of 88 patients daily over the same period. December 27 and January 2 were the busiest with 114 patients attending on both days.

Echoing his colleague's sentiments, Whakatane Hospital medical lead Dr Matt Valentine says many of the people his staff treated had presented with minor ailments.

'If people feel they need to attend the ED [with minor ailments] they will be confronted with significant waits to be seen with those who are sickest being seen first.

'Whilst the ED's triage process ensures the sickest are seen first, those left in the queue are still monitored.”

Two accidents over the holiday period also highlighted issues for Whakatane emergency staff.

Matt says the first, a three car crash west of Opotiki on January 1, showed the importance of remaining vigilant whilst driving and 'always having safety in mind”.

'Then we had an incident involving a quad bike [on January 2] which highlighted the importance of wearing proper safety gear and not transporting children on those machines.”

Both Derek and Matt applaud their staff in the Tauranga and Whakatane EDs for carrying out a superb job under high pressure.

'The community can be very proud of the way the ED and wider hospital staff has pulled together to deliver such a consistently high standard of care during such a busy period.”