“We must all do what we can to relieve pressure on the NHS”, as services face record demand urges CEO of Welsh NHS

As the busiest days of the year for the health service approach, the Chief Executive of the Welsh NHS, Judith Paget, has urged people to do what they can to relieve pressure on the NHS.

The New Year is usually the busiest time of year for the NHS, particularly in emergency departments. Health boards have already reported caring for more acutely unwell patients than normal this year.

Health boards have asked people not to visit people in hospital if they have flu-like symptoms, to protect patients within hospitals. The NHS has seen a sharp rise in confirmed cases of flu, covid and other viral respiratory infections admitted to hospitals this December. Up-to-date information on visiting arrangements will be available on health board and trusts’ websites or social media.

The NHS 111 Wales helpline has also experienced unprecedented demand, with a record number of calls received in one day on Tuesday 27th December. People who are not well have been asked to visit the NHS 111 Wales website, which includes a symptom checker, before calling 111, and not attend emergency departments unless absolutely necessary.

People are asked to only call 111 if they have urgent symptoms that require treatment that day. The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust, which runs the 111 website and helpline, has advised that callers may experience longer waiting times than normal, potentially several hours.

Patients needing repeat prescriptions are advised to visit a community pharmacy when they are next open. Pharmacies can supply up to 30 days of most repeat medication in an emergency without a prescription. Details of pharmacies open in Wales over the bank holiday are available on the NHS 111 Wales website.

Judith Paget said:

“This winter our NHS is facing demand like we’ve never seen before. It’s absolutely vital therefore that we all think carefully about what we do as individuals to reduce pressure on our health service.

“Our Emergency Departments especially are there to help those who need the most urgent care in the shortest possible time, so please consider whether you need to attend, or if there are alternative options, such as visiting the NHS 111 Wales website.

“We can also prepare for minor illnesses or injuries by ensuring we have essential medicines available in our homes, such as paracetamol, and a first aid kit, should we need it.

“Thank you also to families who have supported the discharge of their loved ones so they could be home for Christmas. The ongoing support of families in this way helps us greatly in ensuring that hospital beds are used for people who need the specialist care that only our hospitals can provide.

“We all have a role in protecting our health service, so let’s all think carefully and do what we can to support our nurses, doctors and all NHS staff this winter.”

Link to pharmacies open over BH: NHS 111 Wales

 

“Rhaid i ni i gyd wneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i leddfu’r pwysau ar y Gwasanaeth Iechyd”, wrth i wasanaethau wynebu mwy o alw nag erioed

Lawrlwytho
Wrth i ddyddiau prysuraf y flwyddyn i’r gwasanaeth iechyd agosáu, mae Prif Weithredwr GIG Cymru, Judith Paget, wedi annog pobl i wneud yr hyn a allant i leddfu’r pwysau ar y GIG.

Y Flwyddyn Newydd yw’r amser prysuraf o’r flwyddyn i’r GIG fel arfer, yn enwedig mewn adrannau achosion brys. Mae’r byrddau iechyd eisoes wedi adrodd eu bod yn gofalu am fwy o gleifion sy’n ddifrifol wael nag arfer eleni.

Mae’r byrddau iechyd wedi gofyn i bobl beidio ag ymweld â phobl yn yr ysbyty os oes ganddyn nhw symptomau tebyg i’r ffliw, er mwyn diogelu cleifion mewn ysbytai. Mae’r GIG wedi gweld cynnydd sydyn yn yr achosion wedi’u cadarnhau o’r ffliw, covid a heintiau anadlol feirol eraill yn cael eu derbyn i ysbytai ym mis Rhagfyr. Bydd yr wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am drefniadau ymweld ar gael ar wefannau neu ar gyfryngau cymdeithasol y byrddau a’r ymddiriedolaethau iechyd.

Mae llinell gymorth 111 GIG Cymru wedi profi galw digynsail hefyd, gyda’r nifer uchaf erioed o alwadau’n cael eu derbyn mewn un diwrnod ar ddydd Mawrth 27ain Rhagfyr. Maent wedi gofyn i bobl sy’n sâl edrych ar wefan GIG 111 Cymru, sy’n cynnwys gwiriwr symptomau, cyn ffonio 111, a pheidio â mynd i adrannau achosion brys oni bai fod hynny’n gwbl angenrheidiol.

Gofynnir i bobl ffonio 111 dim ond os oes ganddynt symptomau brys sydd angen triniaeth y diwrnod hwnnw. Mae Ymddiriedolaeth y GIG Gwasanaethau Ambiwlans Cymru, sy’n rhedeg y wefan 111 a’r llinell gymorth, wedi cynghori y gallai galwyr brofi amseroedd aros hwy nag arfer, sawl awr o bosibl.

Cynghorir cleifion sydd angen presgripsiynau amlroddadwy i ymweld â fferyllfa gymunedol pan fyddant ar agor nesaf. Gall fferyllfeydd gyflenwi hyd at 30 diwrnod o’r rhan fwyaf o feddyginiaethau amlroddadwy mewn argyfwng heb bresgripsiwn. Mae manylion y fferyllfeydd sydd ar agor yng Nghymru dros ŵyl y banc ar gael ar wefan GIG 111 Cymru.

Dywedodd Judith Paget:

“Y gaeaf yma mae ein GIG yn wynebu galw fel na welsom ei debyg erioed o’r blaen. Mae’n gwbl hanfodol felly ein bod ni i gyd yn meddwl yn ofalus am yr hyn rydyn ni’n ei wneud fel unigolion i leddfu’r pwysau ar ein gwasanaeth iechyd.

“Mae ein Hadrannau Achosion Brys yn arbennig yno i helpu’r rhai sydd angen y gofal mwyaf brys yn yr amser byrraf posibl, felly ystyriwch a oes angen i chi fynychu, neu a oes opsiynau eraill, fel edrych ar wefan GIG 111 Cymru.

“Fe allwn ni hefyd baratoi ar gyfer mân salwch neu anafiadau drwy sicrhau bod gennym ni feddyginiaethau hanfodol ar gael yn ein cartrefi, fel paracetamol, a phecyn cymorth cyntaf, pe bai arnom ei angen.

“Diolch hefyd i deuluoedd sydd wedi cefnogi rhyddhau eu hanwyliaid fel y gallent fod gartref ar gyfer y Nadolig. Mae cefnogaeth barhaus teuluoedd yn y ffordd yma’n ein helpu ni’n fawr i sicrhau bod gwelyau ysbytai’n cael eu defnyddio ar gyfer pobl sydd angen y gofal arbenigol sydd ond ar gael yn ein hysbytai ni.

“Mae gennym ni i gyd rôl i’w chwarae mewn amddiffyn ein gwasanaeth iechyd, felly rhaid i ni i gyd feddwl yn ofalus a gwneud yr hyn allwn ni i gefnogi ein nyrsys, y meddygon a holl staff y GIG y gaeaf yma.”

 

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