Winter pressures in our trust
Tuesday 13 January 2025
Our hospitals and services are extremely busy and we’re seeing more patients who are very unwell coming into our emergency departments at Yeovil Hospital and Musgrove Park Hospital.
We work closely with our health and care partners across the county, to ensure that patients are cared for in the right place, at the right time.
There are also currently lots of winter illnesses circulating in hospitals and the community, including flu, COVID and RSV, as well as norovirus. Please do not visit our hospitals if you have symptoms of any of these winter viruses. Following a vomiting bug, we ask that you do not visit until you have been symptom free for 48 hours. This helps to protect our vulnerable patients – thank you.
How you can help when our services are very busy
Choosing the right service for your condition is key to helping us to balance our services and treat patients when they most need our care. There are many services put in place to support patients but we know this can be complex. This page aims to help set out the options and guide you to the right place for you or your loved ones.
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.
For non-urgent care needs, we would encourage you to seek help from NHS 111 online, before attending our hospitals. For more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E, you can also visit the NHS UK website.
Patients with less urgent needs may experience longer waits. If you do find that you need to wait longer than usual, please be patient and kind to all our colleagues.
Life-threatening emergencies
If you have a life-threatening emergency, our emergency departments are open 24 hours a day at Musgrove Park and Yeovil Hospitals.
Non life-threatening emergencies
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 Online at 111.nhs.uk or call 111 – they will provide immediate medical advice and direct you to the best care for your needs. This can include signposting to an urgent treatment centre or emergency department if appropriate, booking you an out of hours appointments at dedicated GP practices in your area, or giving reassurance by speaking to a healthcare professional.
Urgent but non life-threatening conditions
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 UTC pages, or call 111.
Maternity Services: If you become unwell or have any concerns about your heath, including your baby’s movements, we advise you to call our maternity advice and emergency triage line as soon as possible for advice. Call: 01823 343985. Our maternity services are open 24/7.
Pharmacy: Visit your local pharmacy for headaches, upset stomachs, aches and pains. You can find more information about pharmacies in Somerset on the NHS Somerset ICB website including the “pharmacy first” initiative where you can get help for seven common conditions, and a prescription for antibiotics if you need them without visiting your GP.
Which seven conditions can your pharmacy help with?
- Sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
- Sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
- Earache (aged 1 year to 17 years)
- Infected insect bite (aged 1 year and over)
- Impetigo – a bacterial skin infection (aged 1 year and over)
- Shingles (aged 18 years and over)
- Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women (women aged 16 years to 64 years).
You can get treatment for these conditions by walking into the pharmacy or contacting them virtually.
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.
Open Mental Health support: The Winter Wellbeing Kit is here to support your mental health. It offers practical advice, resources, and tips from members of the OMH alliance.
HANDi Paediatric app: If you need instant advice when your child is ill, why not try the free HANDi Paediatric App. It can advise on where to go and what to do based on your child’s symptoms. Get expert advice for common childhood illnesses.
Self-care: Visit NHS 111 online for self-care advice for things like grazed knees, coughs and colds or NHS.uk to access the health A-Z where you can find out about conditions, symptoms, medicines, tests and treatments, including what to do and when to get help.