A health board has urged people to ensure they are choosing the right healthcare option as hospitals warn of ‘extremely busy’ services.
The Bath, Swindon, and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) has told residents that choosing the right healthcare option for their condition will help hospitals manage the ‘extreme pressure’ being felt by NHS workers on the front line.
The ICB has urged people with minor illnesses to rest at home and use healthcare products available from shops and pharmacies.
Over the past four days, Great Western Hospital in Swindon has issued multiple warnings that its services are busy, advising social media followers to come to hospital only if they really need to.
The Swindon hospital said that people with illnesses or injuries that might not be urgent should use services such as visiting 111 online, or calling 111; booking an appointment with a GP visiting a pharmacist; using the NHS app for repeat prescriptions, or visiting a Minor Injury Unit.
The announcement comes at a time of prominent national discussion over the future of the health service. On Sunday, January 5, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer unveiled plans to tackle the NHS waiting lists.
The plan includes expanding the network of community diagnostic centres; making it easier to exercise patient choice; and a new deal with the independent sector so that more NHS patients can be treated in private clinics.
The NHS waiting list currently stands at more than 7.5 million, and Starmer has said that the plans would reduce the number of long waits by nearly 500,000 over the next year.
However, in the short-term, the NHS is facing immense pressure from seasonal disease.
According to recent figures, flu cases have quadrupled over the past month and are now rising "at a very concerning rate", according to NHS chiefs.
The data shows that there were 5,000 patients with the virus being treated in hospital at the end of last week.
Though not as high as the volume of cases at the same time in 2022, that figure is almost 3.5 times higher than the same week in 2023.
According to the BBC, Prof Julian Redhead, NHS national clinical director for urgent and emergency care, said: "With what looks like an extreme cold snap expected right across England ahead of the weekend, we know the low temperatures can be dangerous for those who are vulnerable or have respiratory conditions."
Gill May, Chief Nurse, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board said:
“The first two weeks of any new year are always a very difficult time for the NHS, and the beginning of 2025 is no exception.
“Our teams on the frontline put in a stellar shift over the busy festive period, missing out on time with family and friends in order to provide care to others, and we now all need to get behind them and show our support in whatever way we can.
“Choosing the right, by practising self-care, visiting a pharmacy or using NHS 111 online, not only allows our teams to focus on caring for those most in need but also helps the individual to get any help needed much quicker.
“This is a challenging time for everyone involved in health and care, but I can honestly say that the support we get from our local communities really does help and really does make an enormous difference, especially now, which is when we need it most.”
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