COLUMN: Help us to help you remain healthy

The hours of daylight are getting shorter which can only mean one thing – winter is coming. Our staff across the Trust remain busy and there is much planning underway for the expected additional winter pressures. But I am now turning my attention to you – have you started to plan for the winter for you and your family? The message across the NHS this winter is that patients are being asked to choose well. This means thinking about what services are available to you rather than going straight to A&E. This could be your GP, an urgent care centre, a minor injuries unit, walk in centre and your local pharmacy. Don’t forget your pharmacist is a trained health professional who can provide free advice on the best treatment for a wide range of illnesses and minor ailments.

The annual seasonal flu vaccination programme has begun. We’re encouraging our staff to get their jabs and you should, too. Getting your flu jab may also protect others that are vulnerable to flu such as babies, older people, pregnant women and people with serious long-term illnesses. Flu can be a very unpleasant illness causing fever, stuffy nose, dry cough, sore throat, aching muscles and joints, and extreme tiredness; this can often last several days. The best way to protect yourself, your family and those most vulnerable is to get your flu jab. Before the bad weather begins and the winter ailments start doing the rounds, be prepared by keeping a well-stocked medicine cabinet at home. Always follow the directions on medicine packets and never take more than the stated dose. Always keep medicines out of the sight and reach of children and regularly check the expiry dates on medicine.

Please help us to help you to stay healthy and happy during the winter.

Andrew Morgan is the Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust. The Trust’s 2,500 staff care for thousands of patients every day in community hospitals, health clinics, schools, children’s centres and also have the privilege of delivering care to patients within their own homes.