As NHS Forth Valley prepares for very high levels of demand during the busy festive period, it is highlighting the range of services available to help local people access healthcare advice and treatment as quickly as possible.

These include the NHSInform.scot website which has symptom checkers and self-help guides with advice on flu-like illnesses, coughs, fevers, stomach pain, vomiting, headaches, sore throats, as well as details of how to access medication if your supplies have run out. It also has advice and details of support for mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression and panic attacks. You can also phone the NHS Inform helpline on 0800 22 44 88 (Mon – Fri from 8.00am to 6.00pm) for advice

If you think you may need to attend A& but it’s not something life threatening, you have you have a minor injury or you need urgent health advice or treatment when your GP, pharmacy or dental practice is close call NHS 24 first on 111. Staff can provide advice or arrange for you to speak to a local healthcare professional. The Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) at Stirling Health and Care Village will be open every day over the festive period to treat adults and children from across Forth Valley over the age of one for a wide range of minor injuries, including cuts and grazes, minor burns, sprains and arrange X-rays for potentially broken bones. Please NHS 24 first on 111 before attending the MIU as it avoid a trip or enable you to make an appointment so you don’t need to wait to be seen.

A number of pharmacies across Forth Valley will be open for periods of time on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and 2nd January 2025. They can offer health consultations and provide free medication for many common health conditions without the need for a GP prescription under the Pharmacy First scheme. These include coughs, urine infections, conjunctivitis, diarrhoea and indigestion. This year, two independent pharmacy prescribers based in Woodside Pharmacy in Doune and Right Medicine in Bridge of Allan will be open on Sundays from 10.00am to 5.00pm from Sunday 15 Dec 2024 to Sunday 19 Jan 2025. They can provide advice and free treatment, including antibiotics, if appropriate, for chest infections and treatment for sore throats, sinusitis and many other health conditions that would often require an appointment at a GP practice.

Details of local pharmacy opening hours during the festive period can be found on the Winter Zone of the NHS Forth Valley website www.nhsforthvalley.com/winter

GP Practices will operate as normal until Tuesday 24 December 2024 and will then close for two days at Christmas on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 December 2024 (reopening on Friday 27 December 2024) and two days at New Year on Wednesday 1 and Thursday 2 January 2025 (reopening on Friday 3 January 2025). If you take regular medication, order only what they need before the festive break to ensure you have to cover you over the festive holiday period. You can also make an appointment with wider range of healthcare professionals at your local GP Practice, including physiotherapists and mental health nurses.

Local opticians across Forth Valley can provide advice and treatment for a wide range of common eye conditions such as blurred vision and eye infections or refer you direct to a local hospital if the problem is more serious.

The Emergency Department at Forth Valley Royal Hospital is exceptionally busy over the winter period and is there to treat patients with serious illnesses and injuries, like suspected heart attacks, strokes and breathing difficulties, who require emergency care. Patients who attend the Emergency Department with minor or non-urgent conditions may be redirected to other more appropriate services in or out with the hospital.

With cases of flu and other respiratory viruses on the rise across the country, anyone who is eligible for the flu vaccine or Covid-19 booster is urged to get vaccinated as soon as possible to help make sure they are protected. Dr Jennifer Champion, NHS Forth Valley’s Acting Director of Public Health, said: “With recent increase in cases of flu it’s more important than ever to get vaccinated if you’re eligible. This is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones by reducing the chances of serious illness and hospitalisation.”

“There is still time to get vaccinated before the start of the festive period when you are more likely to be socialising more with friends and family so check the NHS Forth Valley website for details of local vaccination clinics or call the national vaccination helpline on 0800 030 8013.”

More information on local health services, including details of pharmacy opening times over the festive period, details of drop-in vaccination clinics for winter vaccines and links to other useful sources of information and advice, can be found on the Winter Zone of NHS Forth Valley’s website www.nhsforthvalley.com/winter