A new Winter Health Hub has been launched, designed to help Lanarkshire residents access a wide range of healthcare services this winter.
The online hub provides a centralised portal, outlining the healthcare options available to help people to seek the right care in the right place.
The website gives a guide to the healthcare support available throughout winter as well as details of pharmacy and GP opening times over the festive period.
It also directs to support available for mental health, the cost of living and weather and travel advice.
Dr John Keaney, acute medical director for NHS Lanarkshire, said: “As we enter winter and approach the festive period, it is important that everyone is familiar with the wide range of NHS services that are available to them.
“If you are unwell, you can access healthcare advice in many ways. It’s important to go for the right care in the right place whether that be seeking advice on NHS Inform, by contacting your pharmacist or seeking help out of hours via NHS 24.
“For those who do not have a serious condition, there are lots of other healthcare options across Lanarkshire to choose from which can provide you with the most appropriate care in the quickest time.
“Anyone needing care for a serious condition should always call 999 or attend one of our emergency departments. Serious conditions include signs of heart attack, stroke, heavy bleeding and difficulty breathing. “
People requiring urgent care for a condition that isn’t life-threatening should call NHS 24 on 111 first – day or night – before attending A&E. NHS 24 will assess you by telephone and refer you to the right care, delivered by the right healthcare professional, as close to home as possible.
This could include self-care at home or advice on the most appropriate care such pharmacy, optician, dentist, GP or minor injuries unit.
Lauren Gibson, Lead Pharmacist for Community Pharmacy Services, said: “The winter hub outlines who you can reach out to for illnesses and ailments. Your local pharmacy can treat a variety of minor common conditions without a prescription through its Pharmacy First Service, and its Pharmacy First Plus Service.
Minor conditions pharmacies can help with include coughs and colds, sore throats, constipation, indigestion, urine infections, minor skin infections, minor eye infections, emergency hormonal contraception and access to urgent supplies of medication you take regularly that you may have run short of. Please speak to your Pharmacist.”
GP practices in Lanarkshire continue to offer phone, video and in-person consultations, so anyone with health concerns they believe requires the input of a GP should contact their GP practice .
The Winter Hub can be found at: https://www.nhslanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk/your-health/winter-health/
