The NHS in Gloucestershire is launching its local winter campaign this week highlighting the benefits of going online or calling first if your illness or injury is not life threatening.

Campaign headlines:

If you have an illness that won’t go away, you are advised to contact your GP surgery through their website, the NHS App or by phone.

If you think you may need A&E or to get the right service 24/7, click 111.nhs.uk or call 111. 111 can advise on illness and injury.

If needed, the 111 phone service is able to book an appointment for you into local services e.g. GP surgeries or hospitals.

The local campaign is closely aligned to the national 111 First campaign which also gets underway this week.

Local GP and urgent care lead at NHS Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group, Dr Jeremy Welch said:

“In Gloucestershire, we want to encourage and support people to seek help from their GP surgery if they have illness that won’t go away and are worried about their symptoms.

Equally, if people think they may need A&E or to get the right service 24/7, they can click or call 111.

The development of the 111 service is a real step forward and by phoning 111, patients can be booked into local services to meet their needs, whether that’s a GP surgery appointment, a community minor illness and injury unit or the emergency department.”

Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Rob Stacey said:

“We are well aware that it can be difficult to know for sure which service to use if you are ill or injured and it’s not life threatening.

The key messages highlighted in this campaign should really help patients get the right care at the right time and in the right place and we are delighted to support it.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing a medical emergency, you should continue to call 999 or attend the Emergency Department (A&E).

A medical emergency is a critical or life threatening situation, such as:

  • Loss of consciousness
  • Fits that are not stopping
  • Severe chest pain or signs of stroke
  • Breathing difficulties
  • Severe bleeding that cannot be stopped
  • Severe allergic reactions
  • Severe burns or scalds
  • Major trauma such as a road traffic accident.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, your symptoms worsen during self-isolation at home and you need medical advice, contact your GP surgery or click or call 111.

Other sources of information

The NHS App

By downloading the NHS App, you can get A-Z health information and through 111 online get advice

on what to do if you need urgent help.

The local NHS ASAP website and App

The asapglos.nhs.uk website and ASAP Glos NHS App also offer care advice as well as information on all local services and when to use them e.g. Community Pharmacy, GP surgery, the Gloucester Health Access Centre, Community Minor Injury and Illness Units and A&E.