Health Services Remain Extremely busy – Help us help you

Posted on January 9th, 2025

Health services remain extremely busy – help us help you

NHS services in Hertfordshire and west Essex remain under extreme pressure as they look after surging numbers of very unwell people, with winter viruses spreading fast.

All parts of the NHS are working together to ensure people are seen and treated as quickly as possible, but pressures on services remain significant.

Dr Jane Halpin, Chief Executive of Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: “We are seeing much higher numbers of people with flu this year, some of whom are seriously ill as a result. If you, your friends or family members are entitled to a flu vaccine but haven’t had it yet, it’s not too late.  Don’t put yourself and NHS services at risk – get your vaccinations and check that your loved ones have had theirs too. Ask at your GP practice or drop in to a local pharmacy. Most practices and pharmacies will have some flu vaccine left in stock, but you may need to try more than one location.

Thank you to everyone for showing patience with our teams as they try to help everyone who needs their care. Winter is always a busy time for the NHS, but this year we have seen unprecedented demand due to a higher than expected surge in flu cases and other seasonal illnesses. For most people, these illnesses are best dealt with at home.  Where you do need support, you can help us by using the right NHS service for your needs. This means we can keep hospitals and emergency departments available for treating those with life threatening or very serious conditions.”

How you can help

To prevent winter viruses spreading, protect vulnerable relatives and friends and ensure that vital NHS services are there for those who need them, local NHS leaders are calling on everyone in our area to follow this advice:

• Make sure that you and your family are up to date with flu, COVID, and RSV vaccinations. These vaccines are especially important for older people, those with underlying health conditions, and pregnant women. Ask at your GP practice or drop in to a local pharmacy. Most practices or pharmacies have some flu vaccines left in stock, but you may need to try more than one location. Find out if you’re eligible and which pharmacies have been offering flu vaccines on our website.
• If you or your family get the norovirus bug that causes sickness and diarrhoea, treat this by staying at home, getting plenty of rest and drinking lots of fluids. Reduce the spread by washing your hands frequently with soap and water – hand gels won’t kill norovirus. Stay away from care homes, hospitals and social occasions until you’ve been clear of symptoms for at least two days. You will still be very infectious until then.
• If you or your family get flu, treat this by staying at home, getting plenty of rest and drinking lots of fluids. Simple painkillers can help if needed.  Flu is not usually a concern for otherwise healthy adults and older children, but can be more worrying in the very young, very old or those with other illnesses.  Reduce the spread by using tissues and by washing your hands frequently with soap and water. As with stomach bugs, please stay away from care homes, hospitals and social occasions until you’ve been clear of symptoms for at least two days.
• If you or a loved one are very unwell, get medical advice straight away. Early help can prevent someone needing to go into hospital and can save lives. Contact NHS 111 online or by phone for urgent help or if you’re unsure what to do. Don’t forget the mental health support on offer via NHS 111 – choose option 2 when you get through.
• Pharmacists can help with minor symptoms. There is also a service that allows you to walk into a pharmacy and get advice and medicine, if needed, for these minor illnesses and health concerns. Where the pharmacist is unable to help or if your symptoms need further investigation, they will direct you to your GP surgery or another health care professional:
  • Earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
  • Impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
  • Infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
  • Sore throats (aged 5 years and over)
  • Shingles (aged 18 years and over)
  • Sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
  • Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women (aged 16 to 64 years)

• Your GP practice is open from 8am to 6.30pm every weekday, but you can help by using online consultations where possible and avoiding calling at the 8am rush. Visit your practice website for information on how to access their services if you need help with an ongoing health concern.
• If you have a family member who has finished their hospital treatment and is due to be discharged home, help to get them there without delay by being available to collect them in your car if you have one. This means that you can check that they are warm, comfortable and settled, and also helps to make beds available in hospital for people who are seriously unwell.

For more information on keeping well this winter visit the Hertfordshire and west Essex winter health and wellbeing information hub.