Think which service
As the days grow colder and nights become longer, it's important to focus on staying well throughout the winter. Viruses spread more easily during this season, and the chilly weather can worsen certain health conditions.
The NHS is here to support you, with local health and care professionals ready to provide the right help at the right time and place. The key is knowing which service is best suited to your needs.
To help you navigate your options, we've created a guide to help you 'think which service'. By choosing the right one, you’ll receive the advice, support, and treatment you need as quickly as possible.
Think which service is right for you
- For less urgent health needs, contact local pharmacy or GP for advice, or visit www.nhs.uk for advice.
- If you need urgent medical help but it’s not an emergency, contact NHS 111 online at 111.nhs.uk or call 111 for clinical advice, assessment, and signposting to the right service.
- For minor injuries, visit your local Minor Injury Unit (MIU), located in Bridgnorth, Ludlow, Oswestry, and Whitchurch.
- Call 999 for emergency, life-threatening illnesses only.
Click here to download our new 'Think which service' this winter leaflet.
By taking small steps, you can help keep yourself and your loved ones well.
Here are some self-help and self-care tips for taking care of yourself and looking out for others:
- Think winter vaccinations. Get your COVID-19, flu and RSV vaccinations if you are eligible.
- Think health.
- Eat a healthy balanced diet and keep hydrated to help you feel your best and keep your energy levels up.
- Try to reduce the amount of time you spend sitting down during the day and be active, enjoy the outdoors if you can. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as it’s something you enjoy and keeps you moving.
- Build your strength, balance, and coordination, and wear shoes or slippers with a good grip to help prevent falls. (See Elevate strength and balance classes in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin)
- Your local authority offers a range of support and services to keep you healthy and well: Healthy Shropshire | Shropshire Council Healthy Telford - Telford & Wrekin Council
- Think warmth
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- Keep your home at a comfortable temperature. Ideally, heat the rooms you use the most to at least 18c.
- Wearing several layers of clothing will keep you warmer than one thick one. For extra warmth, use a blanket or hot water bottle if needed.
- If you are struggling to heat your home, you can visit a number of warm spaces such as libraries and leisure centres for support.
- Think cost of living support
- Contact you local council if you are worried about money, struggling to pay bills or buy food: gov.uk/cost-of-living or telford.gov.uk/costofliving
- Think connection. Connect with others and check in on older or unwell neighbours, friends and family members
- Think preparedness. Keep your medicine cabinet stocked with painkillers, rehydration and indigestion treatments, anti-diarrhoea medicine, antiseptic cream and antihistamines, and a First Aid Kit. Always check that your medications are in date.
- Contact NHS 111 online or by phone if you’re worried about any symptoms
Think mental health services
It’s ok and normal for your mental health to change depending on how you are feeling and what is happening in your daily life.
- Looking after yourself
There are little thinks you can do to look after yourself your mental health. Just a few simple changes can help improve your mood and cope with life’s challenges.
With the Every Mind Matters online platform, you can get free expert advice and practical tips to help look after your mental health and wellbeing.
If you are feeling stress, anxious or depressed, you might struggle with work, life or relationships. NHS Talking therapies can help.
Your GP can refer you to your local NHS Talking Therapies service – or you can refer yourself online.
Crisis
- If you are experiencing significant emotional or mental distress, call NHS 111 and select the mental health option.
The services offers 24/7 advice and support if you are:
- Experiencing worry, anxiety or fear that you can’t control
- Hearing voices and seeing things that others can’t
- Considering harming yourself
- Find yourself withdrawing from your friends and family
If someone’s life is at risk, call 999 or go to A&E (Emergency Department).
If you or someone you’re with has a medical problem that isn’t life-threatening but requires immediate help, NHS 111 will get you assessed and directed to the right place 24/7, 365 days a year. Without the wait times.
By ringing 111 or visiting NHS 111 online, you help keep GP appointments and A&E (Emergency Department) free for those who need them most.
When to use NHS 111
Ring 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk:
- 24/7, 365 days a year for fast and simple access to a range of medical advice
- If you or someone you’re with has a medical problem or issue that isn’t life-threatening but you need advice on where to go
- If you think you may require an emergency face-to-face appointment with a relevant healthcare professional
- If you need help with getting a repeat prescription or an emergency supply
- If you require an emergency dental
- If you need mental health assistance
Where will NHS 111 direct you to?
NHS 111 can give you advice and help for dealing with your symptoms, arrange for you to speak to a relevant healthcare professional, organise face-to-face appointments, and provide you with information on how to get a repeat prescription and where to get an emergency supply from.
They will also send you an ambulance if they think you need it.
NHS 111 select the mental health option
Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, can get urgent support 24/7 by calling NHS 111 and selecting the mental health option.
People of all ages, including children, who are in crisis or concerned for family and loved ones can now call NHS 111, select the mental health option and speak to a trained mental health professional.
NHS staff can guide callers with next steps such as organising face-to-face community support or facilitating access to alternatives services, such as crisis cafés or safe havens which provide a place for people to stay as an alternative to the A&E (Emergency Department) or a hospital admission. If you're living with active suicidal thoughts or feel you are in immediate danger, call 999 for emergency services or ask someone to call 999 for you or take you to A&E (Emergency Department).
If you or your family become unwell, you may not always need to see a doctor or get a prescription. Community pharmacists are qualified health professionals who can offer expert advice on lots of minor ailments and conditions.
With longer opening hours than GPs, local pharmacies offer many of the same services GPs do, and all pharmacies in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin have private consultation rooms.
Through the ‘Pharmacy First’ service, community pharmacists can now also supply prescription-only medicines to treat seven common health conditions without the need to visit a GP.
The Pharmacy First service is available within all pharmacies across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, making it easier for patients to access help, advice and treatment. Most of the time no appointment is necessary, however this may depend on the treatment needed and how busy the pharmacy is.
What common conditions can a pharmacist help with?
Speak to your local community pharmacist in confidence, without an appointment about:
- Coughs, colds and the flu
- Aches, pains & minor injuries
- Oral contraception*
- Skin rashes and allergies
- Ear and eye care
- Stomach aches such as constipation, diarrhoea, haemorrhoids, or threadworm
- Help with medication and repeat prescriptions
- Advice on healthy living – how to eat better, lose weight, exercise, and stop smoking
Plus, under the new ‘Pharmacy First’ service you can now get prescription-only medicines advice for these seven common conditions:
- sinusitis
- sore throat
- earache
- infected insect bites
- impetigo
- shingles,
- uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women.
Benefits from your pharmacy
- You don’t need to make an appointment to see your pharmacist.
- Your local pharmacy has a consultation room allowing for privacy.
- By visiting a pharmacist first, it helps to make more GP and emergency appointments available for people with more complex healthcare needs.
- Many illnesses can be treated with over-the-counter medicines and advice from your pharmacy.
- A pharmacist will signpost you quickly to the right medical care if you have anything more serious.
- A pharmacist can advise on how long you can expect to experience symptoms for.
To find out more about the ‘Pharmacy First’ service, please click here.
Think Clinical Pharmacists for all things relating to medicines in GP Practices
Clinical pharmacists in GP practices work as part of the team. They provide:
- structured medication reviews for patients with ongoing health problems
- treatment of patients with long-term conditions such as hypertension or diabetes
- improvement of patients’ safety by ensuring appropriate monitoring of treatments
- help with side-effects if your medicine is making you feel bad
- advice and support to make changes to your life to help you stay well
Seeing a clinical pharmacist frees up the GP, leaving them more time to diagnose and treat patients with more complex conditions.
Most colds, coughs and sore throats will not get better with antibiotics and cannot be treated by your GP. However, you should see your GP if persistent, recurring problems are not improving with self-care.
You should also see your GP for:
- Unexplained and sudden weight loss
- Constant fatigue and unexplained tiredness
- Persistent cough
- Yellowing skin
- Sudden, blinding headaches or migraines
- A new or growing mole
- A persistent high fever
- Changes in bowel movements
Extended healthcare teams are now supporting patients in GP practices across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.
With demand on primary care increasing, GP practices are working differently to offer more appointments for their patients.
To help manage this demand on services, local GP practice teams now include a range of healthcare professionals who are highly skilled and knowledgeable in the areas they specialise in and can diagnose and treat a variety of health conditions.
The different healthcare professionals that make up extended healthcare teams includes:
- General practice nurses
- Advanced nurse practitioners
- Healthcare assistants (HCAs)
- Clinical pharmacists (practice based)
- Paramedic Practitioners
- Social prescriber
- Physiotherapists
- Physician associates
- GP registrars
- Health and wellbeing coaches
- Mental health practitioners.
You can find out a bit more about these different roles and how they can help you here.
If you’ve hurt yourself, had a fall, burnt yourself or are suffering from another non-life-threatening issue, the Minor Injury Unit is a fast and effective way of getting treated without the long wait in A&E (Emergency Department).
Your local MIUs have a team of nurses, Emergency Care Practitioners (ECPs) and support staff to get you the help you need, fast.
By visiting your local MIU, you help keep A&E (Emergency Department) free for those who need it most.
When to use a Minor Injury Unit
Without the long wait times in A&E, your local MIU can treat you for:
- Bites, human and animal
- Cuts and lacerations
- Foreign bodies in the eyes, nose and ears
- X-ray and fractures that require plaster only (Ages 5 years and above)
- Minor burns and scalds
- Minor head injuries (with no loss of consciousness)
- Soft tissue injuries, for example, sprains and bruises
- Wound infections
This is a self-referral walk-in service for people of any age.
However, your GP or other healthcare professional may refer you to an MIU. Likewise - if your condition cannot be dealt with at an MIU, they will refer you to your GP, the nearest A&E or another appropriate service.
Where are MIUs located?
MIUs are located at our community hospitals in Bridgnorth, Ludlow, Whitchurch, and Oswestry Health Centre. For opening times, please visit: Minor injury units in Shropshire (shropscommunityhealth.nhs.uk)
Our emergency departments are open 24 hours a day if you have a life-threatening emergency.
Please keep 999 and A&E (Emergency Department) free for genuine life-threatening emergencies and use NHS 111 online or by phone or a minor injury unit for other urgent care needs.
When to dial 999 or go to A&E (Emergency Department):
- Signs of a heart attack
- Signs of a stroke
- Sudden confusion
- Severe difficulty breathing
- Choking
- Heavy bleeding
- Severe injuries
- Seizure
- Sudden, rapid swelling
British Sign Language (BSL) speakers can make a BSL video call to 999.
- Deaf people can use 18000 to contact 999 using text relay
For more information about When to call 999 - NHS (www.nhs.uk) or when to go to A&E (Emergency Department): When to go to A&E - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Case studies
As pressures continue to mount on our local health and care services, knowing which service to use and when will make sure everyone in our local community gets the right help at the right time.
If more of us think about which service to use first, just like our residents did in their stories below, we’ll help free up emergency care for those who need it the most.
