Demand on NHS services remain high

People are being asked to once again show their support by doing whatever they can to help relieve the intense pressure in the local NHS and the wider health and social care system.

All GP practices and pharmacies are open again, meaning anyone needing help for a persistent and non-urgent issue can call their local surgery and arrange an appointment for a time in the coming days.

Those who have appointments are asked to attend or let their practice know if they need to cancel as soon as possible to make the appointment available to someone else.

People with less urgent conditions, including common winter ailments like colds, flu and norovirus, can, in most cases, be treated at home through rest and over-the-counter medicines.

Help for other minor illnesses and injuries can be obtained by using NHS111 or visiting a community pharmacy, many of which will be open on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Gill May, Chief Nurse, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board said: “The support of our public at this exceptionally busy time of year never goes unnoticed, and we’d like to thank everybody who has helped us so far this festive period.

“But we are not out of the woods yet, as we are expecting demand for care over the next few days, as well as in the first week of January, when another period of industrial action is planned, to be incredibly high.

“Our teams will, of course, be working around the clock over the coming days, including when most families will be ringing in the new year, for those people most in need of care.

“By choosing the right healthcare option, and by continuing to celebrate the festive season sensibly, we can help to ensure that anybody who does need our care this new year can be treated quickly, safely and effectively.”

Families with a loved one in the hospital can play an enormous role in speeding up their relative’s journey home by providing lifts and collecting groceries and any necessary medicines.

Helping people to leave the hospital when they are ready to do so not only supports the individual’s ongoing recovery but also frees up valuable bed space so that other patients, including those waiting in the emergency department, can be transferred to a ward in the quickest time possible.

A total of 17 pharmacies across the region will be open on Monday, 1st January, with all other sites scheduled to reopen with usual opening hours starting Tuesday, 2nd January.

Details of which pharmacies are open and when across the festive period, along with other useful information on accessing services this winter, can be found online at https://bswtogether.org.uk/yourhealth/winter-services/