I want to start this week’s column by thanking readers for using health services responsibly so far this winter.
Figures from Macclesfield Hospital show that fewer than 10 per cent of people visiting A&E had self-limiting conditions which potentially could have been managed at home.
Yet A&E remains under great pressure at this time of year as more people attend with health problems, such as falls, asthma and other respiratory conditions, which can be worsened by cold weather.
That’s why it’s so important for us all to continue heeding the CCG’s Choose Well plea. Choose Well encourages people to seek health advice appropriate to their level of need and avoid going to A&E unless it is really necessary.
Choose Well puts its message across by advertising on local radio stations, in newspapers, GP surgeries, pharmacies, on social media and on its website www.eastern cheshireccg.nhs.uk.
The best alternatives to A&E are:
Self-care – The best option for: coughs, colds and sore throats, upset stomachs, general aches and pains, flu.
Think Pharmacy! –
Your community pharmacy can:
Provide health advice and medicines for various conditions
Help you decide what medicines to keep at home to manage common ailments
Offer confidential advice on health concerns without an appointment
Provide NHS treatment for common conditions like thrush, cystitis and conjunctivitis
Supply emergency hormonal contraception and family planning advice.
Call your local GP practice –
When you feel you need to speak to a doctor or nurse about an illness that isn’t life threatening
If the surgery’s closed, call NHS 111.
Depending on your symptoms, your NHS 111 advisor might refer you to the GP out-of-hours service.
Visit www.easterncheshireccg.nhs.uk and search for ‘Choose Well’ for more information.
