NHS Tayside has launched its annual campaign to help the public keep well over the winter months.
The Keep Well in Winter campaign features Tayside’s winter health and wellbeing guru, Smarty the penguin, who will be sharing lots of useful advice about how to look after your own and your family’s health and wellbeing this winter.
Smarty has a dedicated website www.keepwellinwinter.scot.nhs.uk which is a one-stop-shop for information about how to look after common winter illnesses at home, where to get the right care in the right place for different health issues, GP and pharmacy opening times over the festive holidays and tips on staying safe during cold and icy weather. Smarty’s Keep Well in Winter health messages will also be shared on NHS Tayside’s social media sites.
Emergency Medicine consultant Dr Andrew Kinnon, who is clinical service director for winter planning, said, “We have very detailed plans to help us manage our services during times of additional pressure, but we also need the public to play their part by making sure they are prepared for winter too.
“There is always a big increase in seasonal illnesses such as flu, norovirus, COVID and nasty coughs and colds throughout the winter months but you can help to reduce the spread with good hand hygiene and by staying at home when you have symptoms. It’s usually best to manage these illnesses yourself without the need to see a doctor so make sure your medicine cabinet is well stocked with over-the-counter medicines and check out our Keep Well in Winter website for advice on how to look after yourself at home.
“NHS Inform and the NHS 24 app are also great sources of help with handy symptom checkers, details of your nearest services and advice about medications. Your local pharmacy can also help with a range of minor illnesses.
“In additional to winter viruses, we always see a rise in injuries from slips and falls during icy weather and GP practices are closed for two days at Christmas and two days at New Year again this year. All of this means that winter is a very busy time for the NHS, from our Emergency Departments and hospital services to out-of-hours, primary care and community teams, so it’s really important that people know where to go for advice and treatment for different health issues.
“Your local pharmacy or GP surgery is still your first port of call for general ailments which are not urgent. At weekends and over the festive holidays, please wait until your GP surgery reopens, contact a local community pharmacy or visit www.nhsinform.scot for self-care advice.
“If you think you need A&E, but it’s not life-threatening, please call NHS 24 on 111, day or night. If it is an emergency, you should call 999 or go to the Emergency Department.”
Consultant in Public Health Medicine, Dr Daniel Chandler added, “One of the most important things you can do to protect yourself and your family this winter is to get vaccinated against flu and COVID.
“This is the most effective way to help prevent serious illness – and to help support the NHS over the winter months – so I would encourage everyone who is eligible to come along and get vaccinated. We have appointments available, as well as drop-in sessions running at venues across Tayside so make sure to get protected before the festive season.”
You can find out more about booking appointments or attending drop-in sessions on our dedicated website www.vaccinationtayside.scot.nhs.uk