If you have flu, contact NHS 111 or visit your local pharmacy. Only attend A&E in an emergency
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Help us manage demand for our services

31 December 2024 - If you have flu, contact NHS 111 or visit your local pharmacy. Only attend A&E in an emergency

Our hospitals are extremely busy, particularly at this time of year.

We are also seeing a high number of patients accessing emergency care for flu and other respiratory illnesses.

Please remember that if you need medical advice but it’s not an emergency, there are a number of different services you can access. You could:

  • call NHS 111 or visit the NHS 111 website
  • go to a local pharmacist – click here for opening times of pharmacies near you

If you believe you have flu, you should visit the NHS 111 website for advice and guidance, and specific steps you can take to help get better more quickly.

Our Emergency Departments

In our Emergency Departments (A and E), our teams will assess you as quickly as we are able to. If we feel you need to stay, we will aim to treat you as soon as possible, based on the urgency of your clinical need.

If we feel you could be seen elsewhere, we will ask you to do so and advise you on the most appropriate place to go. If you then decide to stay, please be aware that you could be waiting a long time to be seen.

Please treat all staff with respect during this busy time, and thank you for your support.