NHS Lanarkshire has launched its winter advice campaign to help people understand where to go for care over the coming months.
To ensure the Lanarkshire community has clear guidance on where to go for help this winter, NHS Lanarkshire is sharing information on the full range of services people can access.
By understanding their options, people can receive the best care for their needs – in the most appropriate location, and often more quickly than attending a busy emergency department.
The campaign couldn’t be more important as healthcare services across the country, including Lanarkshire, are already experience high levels of demand due to flu and other respiratory illnesses.
Lucy Munro, Medical Director for North Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “Winter can be a challenging time for many people, and we want our communities to feel supported in knowing where to go for help.
“Our services work together, and by understanding the options available, people can feel confident they will be well looked after. We are here to help, and there is always support available when it’s needed.”
Health and care services always experience additional pressure during winter, but a wide range of local options can provide fast, effective support without a hospital visit.
To support this, the winter advice campaign highlights the range of local services that can provide timely care throughout the colder months. These include:
- Pharmacies – Local pharmacies can treat many common winter illnesses -including coughs, colds, sore throats, ear infections, tummy bugs and skin conditions -without an appointment. Through NHS Pharmacy First Scotland, pharmacists can provide advice, treatment and referrals where needed.
- GP practices – GP teams continue to offer care throughout the winter, with many practices providing additional opening over the festive public holidays. Reception teams may ask for brief details to ensure patients see the most appropriate health professional as quickly as possible.
- Out of Hours service – When GP practices are closed and someone needs urgent medical help, people should call NHS 24 on 111. The Out of Hours service supports urgent issues that can’t wait until the practice reopens.
- Minor Injuries Units – For non-life-threatening injuries such as sprains, small burns, cuts, bites or simple fractures, an assessment via 111 can result in a direct appointment being arranged at a Minor Injuries Unit.
- Emergency Departments (A&E) – Emergency Departments are strictly for life-threatening emergencies such as severe chest pain, major bleeding, breathing difficulties or loss of consciousness. For non-emergency issues, alternative services often provide quicker care.
- Optometrists – Many local opticians can assess and treat urgent eye problems -including red or painful eyes, flashes, floaters or sudden vision changes.
- Dentistry – Adults over 16 who are not registered with an NHS dentist can access one free course of treatment at the Dental Outreach Clinic in the Buchanan Centre, Coatbridge. Information on practices accepting new NHS patients is available on the NHS Lanarkshire website.
- Mental health support – Lanarkshire Mind Matters’ Wintering Well guide offers practical steps for maintaining mental wellbeing during the colder months, along with links to further support if people feel they need it.
Lucy Munro added: “Across Lanarkshire, our teams in every service work hard throughout the winter to make sure people get the help they need. Each service plays a part -whether that’s pharmacy advice, support from a GP or nurse, an appointment through NHS 24, or urgent care in our emergency departments.
“By sharing our winter advice, we hope residents feel confident that help is available in many places, not just in hospital. We want people to know they are supported, and that whatever their concern, there is a service ready to support for them.”
This campaign forms a key part of our wider winter plan for 2025–26, which includes significant investment in additional staff and extended opening hours across our acute hospitals and Ambulatory Care Units.
By combining enhanced staffing, expanded service availability, and targeted communications, we aim to support timely access to care, reduce pressure on emergency services and ensure patients receive the right treatment in the right place -especially during the busiest winter period.
Many calls made to NHS 24 on 111 are directed to NHS Lanarkshire’s Flow Navigation Centre (FNC+Plus), where highly skilled teams are ready to assess each case and guide people to the most appropriate care.
Within the centre, nurses, administrative staff, Emergency Department consultants, Allied Health Professionals, GPs and Scottish Ambulance Service colleagues work side by side, using their combined expertise to make safe, timely and person-centred decisions. Their coordinated approach helps keep care flowing across local services, ensuring people receive the right help, in the right place, as quickly as possible.
For clear, easy-to-follow advice on all local services this winter, visit the Winter Health Hub at: https://www.nhslanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk/your-health/winter-health/
