Winter pressures – significant demand across our services

We’re seeing an extremely high demand on our hospital services at the moment, particularly in our Emergency Departments at Yeovil Hospital and Musgrove Park Hospital.

Patient safety is our top priority and teams across the trust are working together to ensure that we can continue to provide urgent and emergency care for all patients, and to keep as many routine services running as possible.

We are also working closely with our health and care partners to ensure that patients who are ready to leave hospital can be discharged, as planned.

For non-urgent cases, this could include longer waiting times in the Emergency Department and we may need to postpone some non-urgent, planned treatments and appointments.

If we need to change any planned appointments we will try to give as much notice as possible, but on occasion, we may need to make some last-minute changes to planned procedures or appointments.

If you have an appointment, please attend as planned. Please don’t call to check if your appointment is going ahead. We will contact you directly if we need to make any changes to your planned care.

It is really important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases - when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.

We would like to encourage anyone with a non-urgent care need to first seek help from NHS 111, before attending our hospital sites.

For more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E, you can also visit the NHS UK website - When to go to A&E - NHS

• If you have a life-threatening emergency, our ED is open 24 hours a day
• If you have an urgent medical problem that isn’t a serious or life-threatening emergency and aren’t sure what to do, contact 111 first by phone or online at 111.nhs.uk – they will provide immediate medical advice and direct you to the best care for your needs
• Urgent Treatment Centres (UTC) / Minor Injury Units: Attend your local UTC for urgent not life-threatening conditions and injuries such as sprains, fractures and burns. For the latest information on opening hours and services, visit the MIU / Urgent treatment centres (UTC) pages on our website.
• Maternity Services: If you become unwell or have any concerns about your heath, including your baby’s movements, we advise you to call us as soon as possible for advice. Our maternity services are open 24/7.
• Pharmacy: Visit your local pharmacy for headaches, upset stomachs, aches and pains. Check pharmacy opening times
• GP surgeries: please continue to contact your GP surgery as usual
• Mental health support: Somerset’s Open Mental Health Alliance offers support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – and there really is no wrong door when it comes to accessing mental health support.
• Self-care: Visit NHS Health A-Z online for self-care advice for things like grazed knees, coughs and colds

Further information on NHS services, opening hours and waiting times can also be found by downloading the NHS Quicker App.

You can find more information about healthcare services across Somerset on the NHS Somerset website - Home - Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

This festive season, we’re asking families and friends to work with our colleagues to support patients to get home from hospital when they are ready to be discharged.

If you are collecting your loved one from Yeovil Hospital, there is a free parking in the carpark for carers for pick-ups and collection.

At both Yeovil and Musgrove hospitals you can contact the patient engagement team at thehub@somersetft.nhs.uk who can help provide support, arrange the use of a wheelchair and signpost to the right community support for you.

There are lots of things you can do this winter to help look after yourself, such as getting your winter vaccinations if you’re eligible for them.

The NHS in Somerset is calling on South West residents to come forward for flu vaccinations, as the latest figures show that many eligible people are still to take up the vaccine – in fact, just 31.7% of pregnant women and 32.3% of people with long term health conditions have taken up the offer of the vaccine in the south west.

You can find information on the huge range of services available in Somerset, including how to get your winter vaccinations, over on the Live Well this Winter page on the NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board website.