Be Health-Wise This Winter
Winter is a very busy time for the NHS and there are many services available when your illness or injury is not an emergency. Help us keep the Emergency Department for people who are seriously ill and in need of emergency care. In many cases, your local pharmacist, GP, dentist or minor injuries unit will be able to provide advice and treatment.
Know Who To Turn To
Your local Pharmacy – Pharmacists can provide advice and treatment for many common winter illnesses including coughs, colds, sore throats and upset stomachs. If you run out of your usual medicines or dressings your pharmacist may also be able to arrange an urgent supply.
A small number of pharmacies will be open for short periods on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and 2nd January 2020. Details of opening times are available here.
Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) – Open 7 Days (9am – 9pm) – Sprains, minor cuts, x-rays for suspected broken bones, minor burns or infected wounds and many other common injuries can be treated at the Minor Injuries Unit at Stirling Health & Care Village (formerly known as Stirling Community Hospital).
Open 7 days (including over the festive period) from 9am – 9pm and no appointment is necessary.
GP Services – GP practices will be open as normal on Tuesday 24th and Tuesday 31st Dec 2019. They will only be closed on Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th December 2019 and on Wednesday 1st and Thursday 2nd January 2020.
If you think you need help and you’re too ill to wait until your GP Surgery (or dental practice) reopens call NHS 24 free on 111 for advice.
Mental Health Support – If you are feeling anxious, depressed or stressed then you might find it helpful to talk to someone.
You can contact Breathing Space free on 0800 83 85 87 (6.00pm to 2.00am Mon – Fri and 6pm – 6am at weekends), the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or NHS 24 on 111.
Further Information & Advice – If you are unsure about where to go for advice or treatment see our local Know Who to Turn To guide, visit www.nhsinform.scot or contact NHS 24 free on 111.
Stay Well This Winter
Get the Flu Vaccine – If you or someone you care about is in one of ‘at risk’ groups for flu then contact your GP for a free flu jab. GPs are offering free flu vaccines to everyone currently aged 65 and over. Vaccines are also free for anyone who has a chronic illness such as heart disease and asthma, chronic renal and liver disease and those with neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis. Pregnant women, carers and children aged between 2 and 11 are also eligible for a free vaccination (children are offered the vaccine in the form of a nasal spray).
Remember flu is much more than a bad cold and in the most serious cases it can even lead to pneumonia which can result in death. The vaccine doesn’t contain a ‘live’ virus so it is impossible for you to catch flu as a result of getting the jab. It will also help protect you against swine flu, as well as the strains of flu circulating this winter.
Protect Yourself from Norovirus – Norovirus, which causes diarrhoea and vomiting, is also very common in winter months. So, another key step in looking after your health this winter is to avoid visiting anyone in hospital if you feel unwell. If you have diarrhoea and vomiting wait at least 48 hours after these symptoms have stopped before visiting.
Remember, don’t spread it. If you get ill, stay at home. View this quick information guide on what to do if you have Norovirus.
General advice and information on how to stay well this winter can be found at www.nhsinform.scot or contact NHS Inform on 0800 22 44 88.
Severe Weather
SEPA – The Scottish Environment Protection Agency offers a live flood update service called Floodline. You can receive flood warnings for your area direct to your phone by clicking here.
Met Office – Keep up to date with UK weather warnings with the Met Office. Make sure you sign up to their weather warning service to get alerts about weather warnings in the Forth Valley area by clicking here.
Protect Your Home
Scottish Water – Follow advice from Scottish Water to keep your home heated, insulated and protected this Winter. Pipes new or old don’t like the cold – prevent frozen or burst pipes by being prepared.
Power Cut 105 – If you experience a power cut, call 105 to be put through to your local operator, who can give you help and advice. Take a note of this number and call from a mobile in the event that your landline doesn’t work.
Plan Your Journeys
Traffic Scotland – Get real time and future traffic information in your area with Traffic Scotland. Check journey times and current incidents on your route and plan accordingly.
ScotRail – Get the latest updates on your rail route with ScotRail’s live network map. Check the service on a single route, or see the whole network at a glance by clicking here.
Community Safety
Ready Scotland – Do you have an emergency plan? Use Ready Scotland’s handy tool to enter your important numbers and print it out to use in an emergency. There is also a community emergency planner available by clicking here.
Save a Life Scotland – Knowing CPR can make a huge difference. Save a Life Scotland offers free training events to improve bystander CPR and increase the likelihood of survival of out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Get trained now and keep your community safer.
