People in Fife are being encouraged to be prepared for winter ailments and to use NHS 24’s digital tools to help them.
This advice should help with the ongoing concerns over waiting times and appointments at local GPs over the festive period.
NHS 24 has launched its annual winter preparedness ‘Healthy Know How’ campaign, helping people manage the usual winter illnesses with advice and reminders ahead of the festive holidays.
The campaign reminds people who rely on repeat prescriptions to check they have enough to last over the holidays and to reorder in plenty of time. It is also highlighting the benefits of using NHS digital tools to find accurate and trusted clinical information online for free.
Dr Ron Cook, NHS 24’s Associate Medical Director, said most winter coughs and colds can be safely and effectively managed at home.
“Roughly a third of the calls to NHS 24’s 111 service result in self-care advice so people can save themselves time by being prepared and, if they do think they need to speak to someone or their symptoms are not improving, they can check our website or app first," he said.
“You should have things like painkillers and cold and flu medicine in the cupboard, just in case. A little preparation can really pay off to make sure that relatively minor health issues don’t cause more of a problem.”
This year, GP surgeries will be closed for four days at Christmas (December 23-26) and four days again at New Year (December 30-anuary 2).
Everything winter health related can be found at https://www.nhsinform.scot/winter.
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