Busy time for the community health service teams during the long Easter weekend break

The four-day break marks one of the busiest periods of the year for health services.

Not only do we see an influx of holidaymakers and day-trippers to Lincolnshire’s coastal areas and tourist attractions, you may find some health services operating with reduced availability for the long Bank Holiday weekend.

Mostly, Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS) operates on a business as usual basis, with community nurses and therapists continuing with home visits. In coastal communities they often see visiting patients who still need to receive care while they are on holiday.

The Urgent Care Centre at Skegness Hospital also experiences a seasonal peak while the holiday season is in full swing for those holiday mishaps which need urgent attention, but are not an emergency.

LCHS staff will also be caring for those injured or unwell in the Urgent Care Centre at County Hospital, Louth, and in Minor Injury Units at Johnson Community Hospital in Spalding and John Coupland Hospital in Gainsborough. Lincoln’s Walk- In Centre will also be open.

Countywide, our Out of Hours service which provides services for GP practices when they are closed, will be offering appointments overnight and throughout the Bank Holiday weekend.

Choosing the right health services if you are unwell or injured is important not just to make sure you receive timely care, but also to ensure emergency services are kept for those who really need 
them.

This is where the health community works together to help ensure there is still somewhere for you to turn to, particularly if you need more than rest and what your 
home medicine cabinet can offer.

Don’t forget your local pharmacist has been highly-trained to give you expert advice and if you are unsure of which health service you need, you can call 111 for more advice. The 111 service can also help you access Out of Hours services, if appropriate.

Otherwise, on behalf of all of our teams and services across Lincolnshire, we hope you have a happy and healthy Easter weekend.