Advice on staying healthy this winter
Tips on staying healthy during the busy festive period have been delivered by NHS Forth Valley bosses this week.
The national ’Healthy Know How’ campaign encourages people to prepare for winter, provides tips on how to safely manage common winter illnesses at home and provides details of where to access further health advice, if required. Tips to keep well this winter include:
∙Plan ahead if you have prescriptions – order only what you need and pick them up in plenty of time before the festive holidays.
∙Be prepared for common winter illnesses and ensure you have some over-the-counter remedies available at home, so you have them at hand if you need them.
∙Know how to check your symptoms if you do become unwell.
The NHS Inform website (https://www. nhsinform.scot/symptoms-and-self-help) has self-help guides and symptom checkers for many common health conditions to help you get the right care, in the right place as quickly as possible.
These include advice on flu-like illnesses, coughs, fevers, stomach pain, vomiting, headaches and sore throats as well as information and advice on mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression and panic attacks.
Visit the Winter Zone on NHS Forth Valley’s website: www.nhsforthvally.com/winter for details of local health services and support over the winter period, including local pharmacy opening times during the festive public holidays.
Andrew Murray, NHS Forth Valley’s Medical Director is encouraging people to take steps to protect their health during a hectic time of year.
He said: “Winter is always a challenging time for health services, however, by planning ahead and taking a few simple steps in the run up to the festive period, we can all do our bit to help support the NHS at this busy time of year.
“If you or a family member take’s prescribed medication, make sure there is enough medication to last over the festive holidays.
“If you need more, please order in plenty of time to ensure your GP surgery and pharmacy have time to organise the prescription, and don’t forget to pick it up before the start of the holidays.
“It’s also a good idea to keep some overthe-counter medicines at home to deal with common winter illnesses so you have them to hand if you need them.
“If you are unfortunate enough to become ill, you can access health information and advice by visiting the NHS inform website or by calling their helpline on 0800 22 44 88.”
The health chief added: “I’d also encourage everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated as soon as possible as this is the best way to protect yourself and your family against Covid-19 and flu this winter.”
Information on the Healthy Know How campaign and the full range of winter health advice can be found here – www.nhsinform. scot/winter
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