Dear Gloucestershire residents

Take action to help you, your families and the NHS as we enter 2026

We hope you experienced a peaceful and healthy Christmas with your families and enjoyed some well-earned downtime where you could.

NHS and care services, particularly urgent care teams, are now braced for their busiest period of the year as we head into 2026. Flu and other seasonal illnesses are still very much present, as is the colder weather, and we are caring for an increasing number of people with complex needs.

We are working more closely than ever before in preparing for the difficult weeks ahead and health 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 the NHS 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). Find out who is eligible and how to get vaccinated on the NHS Gloucestershire website.
  2. Take practical steps during the cold weather, particularly if you, or a relative, has a long-term health condition. Wrap up warm, wear sensible footwear, heat the rooms you are using properly, take measures to reduce draughts in your home and make sure you, and your loved ones, have sufficient food and medicine.
  3. Try to stay at home, and avoid contact with other people, if you come down with a winter bug e.g. flu, stomach, diarrhoea and do not feel well enough to do your normal activities.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Follow the latest advice throughout the winter period on local NHS social media channels (give them a follow) and websites, including NHS Gloucestershire.
  8. 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.
  9. 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 ahead.

We know the winter months can be tough for many people and our services, 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, 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 at this time of year. Please be kind and understanding if you come into contact with local health services – our teams are giving their all to provide the absolute best care they can.

Thank you for your support, it really is appreciated and we wish you a happy and healthy New Year.

Yours sincerely

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