Christmas is fast approaching and as we all know, it tends to be a time when services can be limited.
The Isle of Wight Primary Care Trust have put together a guide to making sure you have everything you need to hand should you fall ill over the holiday period.
You can find the guide in this month’s One Island magazine and also on the Primary Care Trust Web site.
So what can you expect to find in the guide? Well, there is information about what to stock your medical cabinet up with before Christmas, including such items as pain relief, decongestants, indigestion remedy, anti-diarrhoeal solution and basic first aid items.
They also recommend that you ensure you are fully stocked up on regular prescriptions by getting your request for repeat medicines submitted to your GP in good time.
The guide continues with advice about contacting NHS Direct and details of out of hours GP surgeries.
Margaret Pratt, Interim Chief Executive of NHS Isle of Wight said:
“If you are unfortunate enough to become unwell over the festive period it is important to know who to contact for advice and information. People often see a GP or the Emergency Department at St Mary’s as the only place to go for help, but for minor ailments, a visit to your local pharmacy, or a call to NHS Direct or the Island Healthline is much more appropriate.
“Christmas can be a busy time for our emergency services and it is vital that they are able to focus on caring for those people who really need their help. Attending the Emergency Department or dialling 999 should be for life threatening or urgent problems only. ”
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