Bristol shoppers to get Stay Well This Winter health advice

Stay Well This Winter campaign

An NHS “Stay Well This Winter ” roadshow is set to visit three shopping centres in Bristol and South Gloucestershire next week.

Shoppers will be offered expert advice on how to prepare against the cold weather and ward off common winter illnesses so they do not require a hospital visit.

The roadshow, part of the national Stay Well This Winter  campaign, will go to:

  • Willow Brook Centre in Bradley Stoke on Tuesday 24th November;
  • Kingschase shopping centre in Kingswood on Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th November; and
  • Clifton Down shopping centre on Friday 27th and Saturday 28th November.

Staff will advise patients – particularly those over 65 or with long-term conditions such as diabetes, stroke and heart diseases – on key actions including:

  • Warm: Keep your house warm this winter at least 18 °C (65F);
  • Immunisations: Get your flu vaccination;
  • Neighbours: Keep an eye on elderly neighbours and relatives;
  • Timely: Seek advice from a pharmacist at first sign of illness;
  • Enough: Pick up repeat prescriptions so you have enough while pharmacies/surgeries are closed; and
  • Restock: Make sure you have enough food and medicine in the cupboards.

Shoppers will also be advised how to use new online GP services, including booking appointments, ordering repeat prescriptions and accessing medical records.

This week the campaign was backed by celebrities Alan Davies, Joey Essex, Ainsley Harriott, Tina Hobley, Arlene Phillips, Sunetra Sarker and Barbara Windsor, who were photographed in their woollies holding the letters W-I-N-T-E-R.

 

NHS England South West Medical Director, Caroline Gamlin, said  

“From getting your flu jab to keeping your house warm, following a few simple steps now can really help you to stay well this winter.

 
“It also helps to know where to go for quick advice when you do become unwell – such as pharmacies, NHS Choices, NHS111 or, in the most serious cases, A&E. ”
 
Professor Debra Lapthorne, Centre Director for Public Health England South West, said:
 
“The Stay Well This Winter roadshow is a great opportunity for people to familiarise themselves with the steps they can take to protect themselves, their families and their neighbours over the colder months.
 
“The roadshow events will offer advice and information about the precautions people can take against winter and a nurse will be available to answer any more specific questions that people may have. We ’d urge people from the local community to attend to find out more. ”

Local NHS staff will also be out at sites in Bristol, Yate and Weston in December to tell people about the NHS services available to them if they are injured or feel unwell over the Christmas and New Year period.

Further tips on staying well over the winter, as well as information on local services available over the Christmas and New Year period, are available on local NHS websites at www.bristolccg.nhs.uk, www.northsomersetccg.nhs.uk and www.southgloucestershireccg.nhs.uk.

The Stay Well This Winter campaign is run by NHS England and Public Health England. It began in October with a national flu vaccination programme for children. This year the programme is being extended to children in school years 1 and 2, and aims to help 3 million children between the ages of 2 and 6. For the first time, the youngest primary school children in 17,000 schools will be eligible to receive the free nasal spray vaccine, making this the largest school-based vaccination programme ever in England.  

As in previous years, the adult flu vaccine will also be offered for free to those in groups at particular risk of infection and complications from flu which are:

  • Pregnant women
  • Those aged 65 or over
  • Those aged under 65 with long-term conditions
  • People who receive a carer ’s allowance or who are the main carer for an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if they are ill

The Stay Well This Winter roadshow is visiting destinations across England for five weeks from Monday 2 November until the 5 December 2015.

For further information about how you and your family can stay well this winter, please visit www.nhs.org.uk/staywell.

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