Health leaders in Bath are asking people to once again show their support by doing whatever they can to help relieve the intense pressure being felt in the local NHS.
Those who have appointments are asked to attend or let their GP practice know if they need to cancel as soon as they can so the appointment can be made available to someone else.
People with less urgent conditions, including common winter ailments like colds, flu and norovirus, can, in most cases, be treated at home through rest and with over-the-counter medicines.
Help for other minor illnesses and injuries can be obtained by using NHS 111 or by visiting a community pharmacy.
Gill May, Chief Nurse, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said: “The support of our public at this exceptionally busy time of year never goes unnoticed, and we’d like to thank everybody who has helped us so far this festive period.
“But we are not out of the woods yet, as we are expecting demand for care over the next few days, as well as in the first week of January, when another period of industrial action is planned, to be incredibly high.
“Our teams will, of course, be working around the clock over the coming days, including when most families will be ringing in the new year, for those people most in need of care.
“By choosing the right healthcare option, and by continuing to celebrate the festive season sensibly, we can help to ensure that anybody who does need our care this new year can be treated quickly, safely and effectively.”
Families with a loved one in hospital can play an enormous role in speeding up their relative’s journey home by providing lifts and collecting groceries and any necessary medicines.
Helping people to leave hospital when they are ready to do so not only supports the individual’s ongoing recovery, but also frees up bed space, so that other patients, including those waiting in the emergency department, can be transferred to a ward in the quickest time possible.
