Right Care Right Person to be rolled out in the Wiltshire Police area
Wiltshire Police is working with partners to roll out a national operational model aiming to ensure vulnerable people get the right support from the right agency when they need it. Right Care Right Person was initially instigated by Humberside Police in 2019 following an increase in health related calls which did not fall within the…
Get Easter prescriptions in early to avoid last-minute rush for vital medication
People living across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire are being urged to arrange any medication they may need for the Easter break well in advance of the long weekend. As most pharmacies in the region will close at the end of the day on Thursday 28 March, and not reopen until Tuesday…
No change for patients as Swindon GP practices announce plans to merge
Two GP practices in Swindon have announced plans to merge at the beginning of next month. Whalebridge Practice will merge with Sparcells Surgery, along with its branch site of Great Western Surgery, on Monday 1 April. The arrangement, which will see all three sites take on the Whalebridge name, should not have any impact on…
Changes to Prescription Ordering Direct coming ahead of closure later in year
As part of the gradual winding down of Prescription Ordering Direct, patients in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire are being advised of changes due to come into effect later this week. After Thursday 29 February, POD will no longer be accepting prescription requests sent in via email or through the form on…
Services disrupted, but care still available, during latest junior doctor strikes
While many routine appointments and operations are likely to be impacted by the next round of industrial action by junior doctors, NHS leaders in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire have vowed that care will still be available for those in need. Junior doctors at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, the Great…
Trailblazing health centre cared for 230 people each day during first year
Devizes’ state-of-the-art health centre is set to celebrate its first anniversary this week, with staff at the site proud to have cared for more than 59,000 people during its inaugural 12 months. The centre, which takes pride of place as the Wiltshire town’s flagship location for health and care, was given its official opening on…
Prescription Ordering Direct closure: Frequently asked questions
Further information has been made available to patients following the announcement of the decision to close Prescription Ordering Direct (POD.) A list of frequently asked questions provides details of the closure, along with information on what happens next. People who have a question that is not answered by one of the FAQs should contact the…
Patients told to carry on as normal for now, as decision on POD future is made
People in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire who use Prescription Ordering Direct to arrange their repeat medication are being told to carry on as normal, after a decision on the system’s future was made earlier this week. Prescription Ordering Direct, which allows some patients to arrange their repeat medication by phone or…
Further disruption as busy festive period gives way to longest strike to date
Health leaders in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire are starting 2024 with a renewed appeal for people to support their local NHS during the longest period of industrial action to date. Junior doctors at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, the Great Western Hospital in Swindon and Salisbury District Hospital will stage…
Help to relieve pressure on busy NHS services this Christmas and New Year
The NHS in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire is calling on local people to do all they can to help relieve the pressure felt by the whole health and care system this festive period. Christmas and New Year is traditionally a very busy time for the NHS, with demand for urgent and…