This in from the IW NHS, in their own words, Ed
The Island’s healthcare system has come under sustained pressure since Tuesday 22nd April.
Alan Sheward, Executive Director of Nursing and Workforce at Isle of Wight NHS Trust says:
“St. Mary’s Hospital is currently under a great deal of pressure, the number of poorly elderly patients needing hospital care has risen over the past week and we have had to cancel a handful of non-urgent operations and therapies to ensure that we have the capacity to cope with this increased demand. Unfortunately this appears to be the picture across other areas on the South coast.”
Some operations may be cancelled
Where it is necessary to cancel an operation or treatment the Trust contacts the patient direct and will rebook the operation or treatment as quickly as possible.
As far as possible Trust staff try to manage peaks in demand so that routine services are unaffected and unless advised otherwise on an individual basis patients should continue to attend for their appointments for outpatient or inpatient treatment.
Alan continued:
“With the help of local media we have reminded Islanders that they can assist us by only using hospital services if they really need to. I am sure people would much prefer to seek advice from their local pharmacy for minor conditions rather than sit and wait in the Beacon Centre. If it is something that can wait until they can get to see their own GP then it means their GP has access to their full medical history and is better informed to treat them.”
Talk before you walk
It is important that patients to make sure they have a sufficient supply of their regular medication and seek advice from their Pharmacist or GP or the NHS 111 before visiting the Beacon Health Centre or the Emergency Department at St. Mary’s.
Director of Nursing and Workforce Alan Sheward says,
“It’s better to talk before you walk.”
Across the South the number of people going to Emergency Departments, dialing 999 and visiting their GP is continuing to rise year after year, and a significant proportion of these visits are for common complaints that are without the need for medical intervention. People are encouraged to take more care with their health where possible by either asking their local pharmacy staff for advice, looking for advice on line (www.nhs.uk) or self treating using some basic medicine cabinet essentials.
GPs should be visited if you have concerns about a condition that will not go away, or is getting worse. It is important to visit your GP if you have a recurring condition that is affecting your ability to function on a day to day basis.
Mr Sheward continued:
“With the May bank holiday fast approaching we need everyone to review their medicine cabinets and make sure they’ve got everything they need. Many conditions can be treated with medicines available over the counter from your local pharmacist.”
Treat at home where possible
Common complaints which can be treated at home with advice from the pharmacist include:
- Skin conditions, such as mild acne and mild eczema
- Coughs and colds including nasal congestion and sore throat
- Minor cuts and bruises
- Constipation and haemorrhoids (piles)
- Hay fever and allergies
- Aches, pains, such as headaches, earaches and backaches
- Indigestion, diarrhoea and threadworms
- Period pain and thrush
- Warts and verrucas, mouth ulcer and cold sores
- Athletes foot
- Nappy rash and teething
The 111 service, which is available 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year, should be called if medical help is needed fast, but it’s not a 999 emergency. 111 is free to call from landlines and mobiles and is staffed by a team of fully trained call advisers on the Island, supported by nurses, paramedics and doctors, who are on hand to assess callers’ needs and ensure they receive the right service as quickly as possible. It guides patients to a locally available service or provides appropriate advice and information
Image: © Used with the kind permission of Auntie P
