Public asked to support NHS as strikes give way to busy Christmas period

Fresh from managing the disruption caused by the latest round of industrial action by resident doctors, the NHS in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire is calling for continued public support ahead of the busy Christmas period.

Services across the region, particularly those dealing with urgent and emergency care, such as hospital emergency departments, are expected to be under significant pressure due to the festive season arriving immediately after the strikes, and with cases of the winter flu virus continuing to circulate.

People are being asked to continue to choose the right service at the right time when seeking help, and to remember that most seasonal illnesses and minor injuries can be managed safely and effectively at home.

Simple steps to stop the spread of flu, such as staying at home when displaying symptoms of the virus, regularly washing hands and catching coughs and sneezes in tissues and then binning them, also have the ability to ease pressures on the NHS this festive season.

Gill May, Chief Nursing Officer, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said: “The support we’ve already seen and felt from our communities throughout December has been immense, but the ask for people to get behind their local NHS becomes much more urgent as we approach Christmas.

“We know that our services will be busy, and although we have robust plans in place to manage the expected increase in demand, we need that additional support from our public, as it’s the collective actions of many that will really make a difference to those hardworking teams on the frontline this festive season.”

If people need help, but it is not an emergency, or they are not sure which service to use, then NHS 111 online, the NHS website and NHS App are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Pharmacists can also help with assessing, advising and prescribing treatment for minor illnesses and injuries, with many community pharmacies open over the festive period.

Along with choosing the right service at the right time, support can also be shown by celebrating the festive season responsibly, as excessive drinking and recreational drug taking will inevitably increase the chances of a person sustaining an injury or becoming unwell, both of which could require hospital care.

Elsewhere, families of patients who are currently in hospital, but well enough to leave, can help to get their loved ones home for Christmas by supporting their discharge, either through providing transportation or getting their place of residence ready for their return, which could include collecting prescriptions, picking up groceries and making sure their home is heated.

Further details of how to stay well during the Christmas and new year period, along with information on which services will be open and when, can be found online at www.bswtogether.org.uk/yourhealth.