Stay safe this New Year and over winter
Published on Dec 31, 2021
Do you really want to start the New Year in A&E?
Your health will always be our priority and our teams are working extremely hard to provide emergency care to those who need it.
However, our hospitals in Scunthorpe and Grimsby are experiencing very high levels of demand and we’re appealing for anyone who doesn’t need emergency care to consider other options. We also have high numbers of patients on our wards and increasing numbers of Covid-19 positive inpatients.
If you have an urgent medical problem and you’re not sure what to do, please call the NHS 111 line for advice from their specialist clinical team.
You can also speak to your GP or pharmacist for advice or visit NHS 111 Online. A full list of pharmacy opening times over the Bank Holiday weekend can be found here: www.northlincolnshireccg.nhs.uk/bank-holiday-pharmacy-opening-times-in-north-lincolnshire-4/
Our NHS is here to help you but please use it wisely. Anyone coming to A&E who doesn’t need urgent emergency treatment is likely to have a long wait, as we will always prioritise seeing patients in the greatest need of our care.
Together, we face an extremely uncertain and challenging winter period. You will be aware we have a new coronavirus variant, Omicron, which is already proving to be highly transmissible. We are now seeing almost 200,000 Coronavirus cases reported each day. Hospital admissions across the country are also rising.
We know the last two years have been incredibly difficult but we would really encourage continued caution, not only if you are enjoying New Year celebrations but as we enter the heart of winter as well. Wherever possible, please do limit the number of people you mix with, wear facemasks, ensure good hand and cough/sneeze hygiene, and keep a healthy distance from each other. And get your booster jab as soon as you can – this really is the best protection against Omicron. All of this will help protect our NHS, so our NHS can give the best care possible.
Testing and isolating are also very important. We know PCR and LFT kits are in high demand right now. The NHS recommends you keep checking www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test, as more tests could become available later in the day.
If there are no tests, you must self isolate if you have tested positive on a LFT at home. You must self isolate and wait for a PCR test if you are showing any of the following symptoms:
• A high temperature
• A new continuous cough
• A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
Finally, please be patient with our NHS staff, and be kind to them. They have worked so very hard, have seen a lot of severe illness and death, including their own loved ones in some cases. Many have not had a break for the best part of two years. We can assure you our NHS teams will continue to do everything we can to be there for you should you need us.
Please enjoy tonight and beyond, safely. Thank you for your understanding.
