Dr Owl is taking to the skies once again to remind people to make the most of the Easter holiday weekend by taking a few simple steps to look after their health. Continue reading Dr Owl’s back for Easter
Tag: NHS 24
Look out for carers this Festive season
NHS 24 is calling on people to look out for carers during the busy festive season
There are currently around 760,000 carers in Scotland and winter can be a difficult time for those who look after others, from dealing with reduced services to managing tight budgets and family tensions.
Now, the Telehealth and Telecare organisation is calling on people to make sure carers get all the support they need this Christmas and New Year.
Lynne Huckerby, NHS 24’s Head of Health Information said: “Caring for someone is a difficult job at any time of the year, but winter places extra demands on those who do the dedicated job of looking after others.
“It’s important that people do their bit and look out for carers and help them all they can. After all, a problem shared is a problem halved.
“Carers or those being cared for might also find the Care Information Scotland website helpful. It has a whole host of useful information from respite care to how to receive a care needs assessment, to information about care homes. It provides signposting information on a range of caring topics, allowing carers to make informed decisions.
“Our personalisation tool ‘Info for Me’ allows people to select relevant content which can be shared, saved or printed, and our translation facility which enables increased access.
“This service will be a useful for a whole range of carer groups from young carers, to those within the care system and those anticipating care and are seeking further information . Our service can be accessed from 8 am to 10 pm, 7 days a week via webchat available through the website or via telephone on 0800 83 85 87.”
Further advice and information on how to stay healthy over winter can be found at www.nhsinform.scot/winter
The three things that Dr Owl is recommending everyone do in preparation for their health this winter:
- Make sure you have some over the counter remedies in the house for minor ailments
- Check you have enough repeat prescription medicines – order only what you need and make sure you pick them up in plenty of time
- Know when your GP surgery and local community pharmacy will be open.
Make sure your dinner’s not a ‘turkey’ this Christmas
With families across Scotland preparing for their annual Christmas feast – NHS 24 is reminding people to be vigilant about food safety. The call comes as the Telehealth and Telecare organisation run their annual Be Health-Wise This Winter campaign. Continue reading Make sure your dinner’s not a ‘turkey’ this Christmas
Dr Owl says: “Make sure you know GP opening times”
As part of NHS 24’s ‘Be Health-Wise this Winter’ campaign – Dr Owl is asking people if they know when their GP surgery and local pharmacy are open over the busy festive period. Continue reading Dr Owl says: “Make sure you know GP opening times”
Make sure repeat prescriptions are top of your Christmas list this year
NHS 24 is reminding people who take regular medication, to make sure repeat prescriptions are top of their Christmas list this year. Continue reading Make sure repeat prescriptions are top of your Christmas list this year
DIYers urged: ‘Don’t Injure Yourself’ this Easter
Spring is traditionally the time many people start to think about tackling jobs around the house and garden. DIY and gardening are good forms of exercise but people are also being reminded to avoid accidents with the message ‘Don’t Injure Yourself’. Continue reading DIYers urged: ‘Don’t Injure Yourself’ this Easter
Make sure food safety’s at the top of your Christmas list
Don’t be a turkey when it comes to food safety this Christmas
NHS 24 is reminding people to be vigilant about food safety this Christmas.The call comes as part of NHS Scotland’s Be #Healthwise This Winter campaign which aims to help people protect their friends and family from illness over the festive and winter period. Continue reading Make sure food safety’s at the top of your Christmas list
Waiting time info now available at NHS inform
PEOPLE seeking information about waiting times in Scotland can now access this via Scotland’s national health information service, NHS inform. Queries can be directed to the national health information service on 0800 22 44 88.
The extension of the NHS inform service builds on the ‘Your Health, Your Rights‘ resource at www.nhsinform.co.uk/rights which brings together information for the public about their health rights, access to health care and national waiting times.
Developed by NHS 24 in partnership with the Scottish Government, the zone was launched in 2013 with the aim of making it easier for patients to access the information relevant to them in one place.
Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “Patients have an entitlement to be treated as quickly as possible but also at a time that fits in with their lives. The helpline provided through NHS inform will continue to give patients a single point of contact to find out more about their rights and how long they can expect to wait for treatment.
“Waiting times continue to be amongst their lowest ever levels in Scotland, and we want to make sure that patients know what they are entitled to. This information line will also help ensure that waiting times are open, transparent, and that patients receive help and support if they need it.”
NHS 24 Head of Health Information Services Lynne Huckerby added: “Our health information team are trained to answer health information queries on a wide variety of subjects from people throughout Scotland. By contacting NHS inform, people are accessing reliable health information from a trusted source.
“Directing their waiting times queries to the NHS inform phoneline will make it easier for people to access clear and accurate information on their rights and responsibilities. It allows people to access all the health information they need from a single trusted source.”
For more information, visit www.nhsinform.co.uk/rights
The NHS inform helpline is available on 0800 22 44 88, 8am to 10pm, seven days a week.
Be healthwise this Easter
Scots are being offered a final reminder to plan ahead as part of this year’s Be Health-Wise This Easter campaign …
With coughs and colds still common during Easter, NHS Scotland’s wise Dr Owl is urging people to take a few simple steps to look after their health.
By knowing when their GP surgery is open, re-stocking their medicine cabinet and ordering and collecting repeat prescriptions in plenty of time for Easter, people can ensure they make the most of the holiday weekend.
NHS 24 Medical Director Professor George Crooks, said: “With many GP surgeries across Scotland closed for up to four days over the Easter holiday weekend, it’s vital to plan ahead and ensure you and your family stay well this spring. Although we are seeing some signs of spring, there are still many coughs, colds and seasonal illnesses circulating within communities across Scotland.
“We are therefore advising people to keep remedies for common ailments available, especially for families with young children. If you take regular repeat medication, it is also important to make sure you have enough to last over the Easter holiday weekend.
“By following these simple steps, you can help keep yourself and your family well and make the most of the Easter holiday weekend.”
This year many GP surgeries across Scotland will close for four days from Good Friday (April 3th) to Easter Monday (April 6th), before re-opening on Tuesday 7th April.
General advice and information on how to stay healthy this Easter can be found at www.nhsinform.co.uk
or contact NHS inform on 0800 22 44 88.
Dr Owl’s eggstra-special holiday health tips
Eggstra special seasonal health advice (sorry!) …
Dr Owl – the memorable and wise character from a national health campaign – takes to the skies across Scotland again today urging people to take a few simple steps to look after their health this Easter.
Dr Owl was joined by five-year-old Freya Cowie from Dunblane and seven-year-old Jack Ozen from South Queensferry at the New Hopetoun Garden Centre to launch this year’s Be Health-Wise This Easter campaign. The campaign, which is run by NHS 24 on behalf of NHS Scotland, is reminding people that by making sure they have a supply of over the counter medicines, knowing when their GP surgery is open and checking their repeat prescriptions, they can ensure they make the most of the Easter holiday weekend.
This year many GP surgeries across Scotland will close for four days from Good Friday (3 April) to Easter Monday (6 April), before re-opening on Tuesday 7 April.
After winter, Easter is the busiest time of year for Scotland’s health services. NHS 24 Medical Director Professor George Crooks said: “Easter falls slightly earlier this year and as such, there are still many common illnesses circulating within communities. The Be Health-Wise This Easter campaign wants to remind people of the small steps they can take to ensure illness doesn’t ruin their Easter.
“Being prepared by having enough repeat medication to cover you and having some simple home remedies available can make all the difference if illness strikes. It is also important to plan ahead for any required repeat prescriptions over the Easter break, so please order and collect in good time. We would also remind people of the wide range of health information available at NHS inform.”
Although many GP surgeries will be closed at Easter, hundreds of GPs and nurses are working throughout this period supporting out of hours services across Scotland to see patients with conditions that need urgent attention over the holiday period and cannot wait until the surgeries reopen on Tuesday.
General advice and information on how to stay healthy this Easter can be found at www.nhsinform.co.uk or contact NHS inform on 0800 22 44 88.