Getting the right treatment over Christmas and New Year 2011

The NHS in South Gloucestershire is providing information to help people choose from a range of health services over the Christmas and New Year 2011/12 bank holidays.

NHS South Gloucestershire has produced a leaflet - Choose Well - with advice on where to go for appropriate advice and treatment.

Caring for yourself

We all have small accidents at home or suffer from ailments such as coughs or colds. Most of the time we can patch ourselves up and care for ourselves with the help of a first aid kit and a well stocked medicine cabinet containing over the counter remedies. Don’t forget to keep your medicine cabinet out of reach of children.

Your medicine cabinet should contain pain relief, antihistamines, oral rehydration salts, anti-diarrhoea tablets and indigestion treatments. Your first aid kit should contain bandages, plasters, a thermometer, antiseptic, eyewash solution, sterile dressings medical tape and tweezers.

Contact NHS Direct

For online or advice over the phone, NHS Direct is a 24-hour service that offers advice about what to do if you are feeling unwell. The telephone service on 0845 4647 offers confidential health advice and information 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Alternatively log on to www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

Ask your pharmacist

From sprains to stomach upsets, your local pharmacist is qualified to give expert advice without an appointment for many conditions. Very often your local pharmacist can give you advice and save you a trip to your GP surgery.

If you need a regular prescription for a long term condition, please check to make sure that you have enough to tide you over the holiday period. Over Christmas and New Year, it is also useful to know where to go for advice and medicines.

Please see the attached pharmacy list for those that are open over the Christmas and New Year holidays.

See your GP

If you have an illness that is not responding to self care or advice from your pharmacist, call your GP surgery. Every GP surgery in South Gloucestershire is now open for longer, either in the evenings or at weekends.

If you need urgent medical care when your surgery is closed (and it cannot wait until the surgery reopens), phone your surgery and you will be put through to the Out of Hours service or given the number. They will take details of your problem and make sure you receive the care you need. Depending on your condition, they may advise you to see your GP the next day, give you advice over the phone, ask you to visit one of their centres, or, if appropriate, come and visit you at home.

Visit a Minor Injury Unit

For all minor injuries such as wounds, sprains and broken bones, visit the vollowing Minor Injury Units. Please note that these units do not treat illnesses and do not change wound dressings.

Minor Injury Unit, Yate West Gate Centre

West Walk,

Yate Shopping Centre,

Yate,

BS37 4AX (next door to the library)

Open Mon - Fri 8am - 8pm

Sat and Sun 10 - 2pm including all bank holidays

(Please note: There is no X-ray service after 5pm or at weekends)

Minor Injury Unit, Southmead Hospital

Monks Park Road,

Bristol, BS10 5NB

Open 9am – 9pm seven days per week including all bank holidays.

Accident and Emergency (A&E)

You should go to your local accident and emergency (A&E) department if you need emergency care for a serious injury, or illness - for example, if you are experiencing breathing difficulties, blood loss, or if you suspect that you have a broken bone. A&E departments are usually open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In an emergency you should dial 999 for an ambulance.

Unless you need emergency medical attention, it is best not to go to your local A&E. A&E doctors and nurses are equipped to deal with serious medical cases, not routine and minor ailments.