Dear Gloucestershire residents

We are sure you are aware by now of the pressures that face the NHS and care services as we head into the Christmas and New Year period. It’s the busiest time of year for our teams with rising cases of seasonal illness and increasing numbers of people with complex needs.

Flu cases are the highest on record for this time of year – 50% higher than last year with no sign yet of cases peaking.

One Gloucestershire partners are working more closely than ever before in preparing for winter and the NHS and care services will be there if you need them, but we are appealing to everyone to follow some simple advice that could make a real difference to you and local services over the coming weeks.

Help us to help you:

  1. If you are eligible – get your free Flu and COVID-19 booster vaccination without delay (if you haven’t already). Why not combine it with your Christmas shopping and pop into a local pharmacy? Find out who is eligible and how to get vaccinated on the NHS Gloucestershire website.
  2. Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you come down with a winter bug and do not feel well enough to do your normal activities.
  3. It sounds simple, but washing your hands regularly throughout the day with soap and water, and after being out, can make a huge difference to keeping you and your family well and stopping the spread of germs. Get into a routine and support your children to do the same.
  4. If you, or a family member, start to feel unwell, particularly if you have a long-term health condition, get early expert advice from your community pharmacy – a great first port of call. Don’t wait for it to get worse.
  5. Please keep the two Emergency Departments in the county clear for life threatening conditions and serious injuries. If you’re ill or injured, and it’s not a life or limb threatening emergency, use 111.nhs.uk or call NHS 111 for advice. The 111 phone service here is supported by a local doctor led assessment service. It can arrange a call with a clinician or book you into other NHS services if needed. The local www.asapglos.nhs.uk website and ASAP Glos NHS App can also guide you through self-care options and provide information on the best service option for you to avoid unnecessary waits.
  6. Follow the latest advice throughout the winter period on local NHS social media channels (give them a follow) and websites, including NHS Gloucestershire.
  7. Please do everything you can, as a relative or carer of someone in hospital, to work with us to get patients home from hospital as quickly and as safely as possible, with additional support if necessary from your local NHS community services or adult social care teams.
  8. Prioritise your health and wellbeing this winter. Our Stay Well This Winter campaign pages offer advice, resources and practical ways to manage through the weeks and months ahead.

We know things are tough out there, but we have a fantastic tradition in Gloucestershire for coming together and supporting each other (and the NHS) when faced with challenging times. We know that communities across our great county will do so once again this year.

Finally, our fantastic health professionals in GP practices, community services, hospitals and emergency care are doing a truly inspirational job, but they are doing this under great pressure. Please spare a thought for those working across the festive period and please be kind and understanding if you come into contact with our services – they are giving their all to provide the very best care they can.

Thank you for your support and we wish you, and your families, the best of health this festive season.

Dr Ananthakrishnan Raghuram (Raghu) MBE
Chief Medical Officer
NHS Gloucestershire		 Prof Mark Pietroni
Medical Director
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust		 Dr Amjad Uppal
Medical Director
Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust