Choose Well 2013
The NHS in Gloucestershire is today launching its Choose Well
campaign for 2013 to ensure patients access the right services to
meet their needs and to help the NHS take the strain in the run up to
the Winter period.
Clinical Chair of NHS Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group,
Dr Helen Miller explains:
“The choice of healthcare options available is often greater than
people realise, particularly for the treatment of minor ailments. We
aim to deliver a consistent and clear message to the people of
Gloucestershire – choose the right service at the right time to meet
your individual needs and circumstances.”
Treat yourself at Home
A well-stocked medicine cabinet will help you treat many everyday
illnesses at home.
For example, a small supply of paracetamol or ibuprofen (available as
syrup for children) and other remedies will help you treat common
ailments such as coughs, colds and sore throats. If your symptoms
worsen, it is worth checking with your pharmacist before contacting
your GP.
An A-Z self care guide, covering a wide range of minor ailments is
available at: www.choosewellglos.nhs.uk.
The Pharmacy
While there are no miraculous cures for ‘flu and other winter ills, you
can keep yourself fighting fit and ready to win the cold war with a
healthy dose of good advice from your local pharmacist.
Leo Ferro from Chesterton Pharmacy in Cirencester explains the
services on offer:
“Your local pharmacist is an accessible health professional, available
for good advice – without an appointment – at least six days a week.
Pharmacists are experts on medicines and how they work. We are
qualified to give advice on common complaints, such as coughs,
colds, flu, sore throats, aches and pains, sprains and stomach
upsets.
We can advise patients on whether they need to call or visit other
NHS services.”
You can talk to your pharmacist in confidence – even about the most
personal symptoms - and remember you don’t need to make an
appointment!”
Family Doctor (GP)
The local GP Surgery has become the favourite first port of call for
patients who are feeling unwell, but many people don’t realise the
range of healthcare options available to them.
Cotswold GP, Dr Jacquie Williams explains:
“Most people should get the advice they need from their local
pharmacy. The vast majority of seasonal health conditions, like colds,
sore throats and flu, are caused by viruses. Antibiotics are only used
when patients are significantly unwell and not responding to over the
counter remedies.
If you have a ‘flare up’ of a long standing illness such as kidney or
lung disease, bronchitis, asthma or diabetes that is not responding to
self care or advice from your pharmacist, then a call to your GP
surgery is the best course of action to take.
By contacting your surgery, a member of the team such as a practice
nurse or a doctor may be able to help you with advice over the phone
or you can make an appointment.”
GPs are experts in family medicine. If you are worried about the
health of your child they are the best people to call.
Visit a Minor Injury Unit
Minor Injury Units across the county treat a variety of injuries and
illnesses such as sprains, cuts and wounds, minor fractures and
minor head injuries.
You do not need to make an appointment; you can just turn up. Minor
Injury Units can be found at the following locations.
Cirencester Hospital (24 hours)
Tetbury Road, Cirencester, GL7 1UY
Dilke Memorial Hospital (8am to 11pm)
Speech House Road, Cinderford, GL14 3HX
Lydney and District Hospital (8am to 11pm)
Grove Road, Lydney, GL15 5JF
North Cotswolds Hospital (8am to 8pm)
Stow Road, Moreton in Marsh, GL56 ODS
Stroud General Hospital (24 hours)
Trinity Road, Stroud, GL5 2HY
Tewkesbury Community Hospital (8am to 8pm)
Barton Road, Tewkesbury, GL20 5QN
Vale Community Hospital (8am to 8pm)
Lister Road, Dursley, GL11 4BA
Winchcombe Medical Centre (Mon-Fri 8.15am to 6.30pm)
Greet Road, Winchcombe, GL54 5GZ
Matron at North Cotswolds Hospital, Linda Edwards said:
“North Cotswolds Hospital is one of three new community hospitals
built in Gloucestershire over the past two years.
These new sites are part of a significant investment in community
services made by the local NHS to enable people to make best use of
our local services and avoid unnecessary travel and inconvenience.
Our staff working in Minor Injury Units across the county play a key
role in community healthcare, assessing and treating patients with a
range of minor injuries. We are very pleased to be supporting Choose
Well 2013.”
The ‘Out of Hours’ Service
If you need urgent treatment or care ‘Out of Hours’ that can’t wait until
the GP surgery re-opens you only need to ring one number for help –
111.
‘Out of Hours’ is the period of time between 6.30pm and 8am on
weekdays and covers all day and night at weekends and public
holidays.
To ensure that patients benefit from quick access to help, please
don’t use this number for prescriptions, test results or routine matters
– it is for URGENT OUT OF HOURS medical matters only.
Contacting this number will put you through to specially trained staff
who are used to dealing with confidential medical information. They
will make sure that you receive the right advice and help.
During this call, these staff will either:
 pass the call to a clinician who may be able to deal with the
medical problem over the telephone
 offer you advice on self care
 refer you to a local Primary Care Centre (PCC – a place where
doctors, nurses and other staff see people who require urgent
treatment or care ‘out of hours’)
 call out a member of the on-call team, who would be able to
carry out a home visit if there is a medical need
 or in an emergency send out an ambulance.
Hospital Emergency Departments
To help the Emergency Departments in Cheltenham and Gloucester
to cope effectively, it is important that people use them appropriately.
Emergency Medicine Consultant, Dr Tom Llewellyn explains:
“We would ask patients to think carefully about whether or not their
condition or illness is an emergency that day.
An emergency is a critical or life threatening situation, including:
o
o
o
o
o
Unconsciousness
Severe breathing difficulties
Heavy blood loss
A suspected heart attack (severe chest pain)
Severe burns.
In most cases, it’s obvious if you or a family member is seriously ill
and needs urgent hospital treatment. If emergency care is required a
999 call for an ambulance is the right course of action to take.
If patients use the emergency services unnecessarily they may be
preventing others with life threatening conditions from getting
immediate care.”
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