Twenty per cent fewer parents with young children went to A&E for basic advice only, after health and care partners in the region launched a free app to help parents.

The free ‘CATCH’ app, developed by the local council and CCGs in Cheshire, gives parents the confidence to know when medical treatment is required or when self-care would be a better option.

In a survey of app users, 47 per cent said they had chosen self-care instead of attending A&E since downloading the app, while 35 per cent said it had helped them feel more confident in self-caring for their child and in knowing where to find the best treatment.

Over winter 2016/17, the number of children aged 0-5 who had been discharged from A&E with basic information and advice only, had reduced by 22 per cent since the previous year.

Watch Dr Darren Kilroy, Lead Clinician for Emergency Care at East Cheshire NHS Trust, speak about the app.