The Mid and South Essex Integrated Health Board have been in touch to remind us all to prepare for the Easter bank holiday weekend (April 7 – 10) immediately followed by a four day junior doctors’ strike (April 11 – 15), which will affect local services.
Everyone is being urged to check their medication supplies prior to the Easter bank holiday and to visit NHS 111 online in the first instance for heath advice, over what is expected to be a very busy period for NHS services. There will be more staff in the NHS 111 service to cover this challenging week, so please use 111 online or by phone, if you cannot manage symptoms yourself at home.
The local NHS will be under greater pressure than usual during this time and we encourage people to be prepared for their medical needs in advance and to know what to do should they, or a family member, become unwell.
Dr Boye Tayo, Wickford GP and clinical director at Basildon Alliance, said “In my role as a GP, I’d ask everyone to stock up on medicine cabinet essentials, including paracetamol, sticking plasters, indigestion remedy and anti-diarrhoeal treatments.
Your community pharmacist will be happy to offer advice on essential medicines you should keep at home. By doing so, you will be best prepared to deal with minor illnesses and injuries. It's also important to have enough repeat prescription medicine to last over the holidays”.
While GP practices are now offering more evening and Saturday appointments, remember your GP surgery will be closed on Good Friday (April 8) and Easter Monday (April 10) and you need to leave enough time for your surgery to process a repeat prescription and additional time for your pharmacy to dispense it.
If you or a family member feels unwell, firstly visit the NHS 111 online symptom checker or telephone NHS 111 for help and advice. Both are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please only use emergency services, including A&E, if is it a serious or life-threatening emergency.
Please remember, while the impending strikes by junior doctors are expected to cause disruption, pre-planned appointments and procedures will only be cancelled when absolutely necessary. If you haven’t been contacted, please attend your appointment as planned. You will be notified if it needs to be rescheduled.
Your local pharmacy is a great source of help and advice and you do not need an appointment to speak with a pharmacist, who is a health care professional.
As always, everybody can play a part by taking simple steps to look after themselves, their loved ones and by checking on vulnerable neighbours.
For more information on health services available over the Easter bank holiday and for health advice, including when to call 999 and when to go to A&E, you can visit your local NHS website www.midandsouthessex.ICS.nhs.uk or the national NHS website www.nhs.uk
