FRIDAY, 6 DECEMBER, 2024

For immediate release. Accompanying video from Dr Andrew Kinnon can be found at https://youtu.be/DFFncRW1k2s

Are you ready for winter? Team Tayside is stepping up for the season

Teams from across NHS Tayside and the health and social care partnerships are gearing up for winter and the public are urged to play their part by making sure they are prepared for the season ahead.

Winter always brings challenges for health and social care services, and this year will be no different. We’re already starting to see an increase in seasonal illnesses, such as flu, COVID, RSV and norovirus, and when the weather is icy we see a lot of injuries from slips and trips.

Emergency medicine consultant Dr Andrew Kinnon, who is the clinical service director for winter, said, “Our winter planning involves teams across our hospital, community and primary care services, alongside the Scottish Ambulance Service and NHS 24, which all work together to manage the increased demands of winter.

“We use data from all these areas to create a weekly ‘heat map’ which helps us predict how busy our services will be and allow us to respond early to any anticipated increase in activity.

“The main focus of our winter plan is preventing illness, reducing hospital admissions and providing care closer to home. We also want to make sure patients get safely back home as early as possible, and that we support the wellbeing of our staff throughout this busy period.

“So that’s what we’ll be doing, and you can help us with this by making sure that you are also prepared for winter.

“A really key part of this is getting as many people vaccinated against flu and COVID as early as possible to help prevent the spread of viruses in our hospitals, healthcare facilities and local communities. It also helps ensure we have enough staff available to manage services during busy periods. So if anyone is eligible and hasn’t yet had their winter vaccines, please book an appointment or come to one of our drop-in sessions.

“You can also get ready for winter by making sure your medicine cabinet is well-stocked with common items like painkillers and cold and flu medicines so that you can look after yourself at home if you catch a winter illness. Please order any repeat prescriptions that you need in plenty of time before the festive period, and remember, GP surgeries will only be closed from 25-26 December and from 1- 2 January, so make sure you know how to get the right care in the right place over the holidays.”

There’s lots of useful information on NHS Tayside’s dedicated website www.keepwellinwinter.scot.nhs.uk which is a one-stop-shop to help you stay safe and healthy this winter. You can also get the most up-to-date information by following @NHSTayside on Facebook, X and Instagram.

NHS Inform and the NHS 24 mobile app can also give you advice on your symptoms, tips on self-care and what to do if your condition worsens.

Contact:

Louise Wilson

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 740718