Thanks to the public for making the right choice of NHS service this week amidst cold weather alert

All services are seeing high numbers of unwell people, especially through Emergency Departments, and hospitals are very busy and full of patients needing care. There is also increased flu cases, and this is affecting patients and members of staff.

All services remain open, and anyone that needs the NHS should come forward as normal, but as staff work tirelessly to care for those who need support there may be longer waits for non-urgent injuries and conditions.

A wide range of services is available from NHS 111, pharmacies, GP practices and walk in centres, minor injury units and urgent treatment centres.

Every day hundreds of people in Sussex contact NHS 111, accessing advice and information 24 hours-a-day, and direction to local services if they need to be seen face to face. If anyone is unsure where to go, it is the best first point of contact for advice and information about local services.

Dr Andrew Hodson, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at NHS Sussex, said: “We are seeing increased demand on all health services across Sussex, in line with services across the country. Latest data shows that cases of flu have continued to rise since the festive period, and on top of this there is also continued pressure from Covid, RSV, and norovirus.

“With a cold weather alert for Sussex this week, we know the low temperatures can be dangerous for those who are vulnerable or have respiratory conditions so if you are at risk, do try and keep warm and make sure you are stocked up on any regular medication.

“Please continue to use NHS 111 and 111 online if you need advice and support for health conditions, and only use 999 or attend A&E in life-threatening emergencies.”

The NHS and wider partners have been working since the summer to prepare for winter and clear plans are in place to ensure that local hospitals, GP practices, social, community health, ambulance, and mental health services, and voluntary organisations, can continue to provide safe care for people across Sussex.

Key priorities are to:

People are supported to stay well, and additional support is available for our most vulnerable populations to prevent hospital admission where possible; Same day urgent care is available to ensure that people can receive safe urgent and emergency care if they need it; and Improvements in discharge to help people to get home from hospital in a timely way and to ensure good access to inpatient beds when people need them. We are asking everyone living across Sussex to Help Us Help You this winter by:

Making sure you receive a free flu and Covid and RSV vaccinations if you are eligible Using NHS 111 for advice on the most appropriate service for their needs Contact your GP practice about worrying symptoms, with many pharmacies now able to prescribe some medicines for certain conditions as part of the ‘Pharmacy First’ scheme Speaking to a pharmacist about minor illnesses Only using 999 and hospital Emergency Departments for life-threatening conditions Making sure you get repeat prescriptions in time for weekends and bank holidays Stocking up on over-the-counter medicines Looking out for vulnerable family members, friends, and neighbours .For more information visit our Get the right care web information.