We are working to ensure that children on the Isle of Wight are supported to get the best start in life that will lead to good health and wellbeing. This will provide the foundation to ensure they are able to achieve the best opportunities and keep as healthy and well as possible throughout their lives.
We want to ensure that families, individuals and communities are thriving and resilient with access to good jobs, affordable housing, leisure activities, lifelong training, education and learning, health and care services are are able to enjoy the place in which they live.
We want to ensure that people on the Isle of Wight are able to live independently in their own homes with appropriate care support. We want to make sure older residents are supported to play an active role in their communities and supported to maintain and develop their social and community networks.
The Urgent Care Service at St. Mary’s continues to be very busy.
Islanders are urged to make sensible choices about whether their health problem needs urgent care or whether the issue can wait a few days for an appointment with their GP practice.
Nikki Turner, Deputy Chief Operating Officer at Isle of Wight NHS Trust said: “We are extremely busy and I want to apologise for the long waits at the Urgent Care Service. If your problem is not urgent then please don’t attend. It may be that you need to see your GP and can get an appointment in a few days time or your local pharmacist may be able to help you.”
Patients may be unaware of the Pharmacy First scheme which allows the free supply of medicines by your pharmacist to treat many minor ailments. This means they can get expert advice and treatment for most minor ailment conditions without the need to see a GP. All consultations are private and the medicine supply is free to those who are eligible for free prescriptions.
Common complaints which can be treated at home with advice from the pharmacist include:
Services available from local pharmacies include:
Islanders are encouraged to take more care of their health where possible by either asking their local pharmacy staff for advice, looking for advice on line or self-treating using some basic medicine cabinet essentials. More information on self care can also be found on the NHS Choices website at www.nhs.uk/selfcare and www.what0-18.nhs.uk, a website for parents of children aged 0-18yrs.
GPs should be visited if you have concerns about a condition that will not go away, or is getting worse. It is important to visit your GP if you have a recurring condition that is affecting your ability to function on a day to day basis.
The Trust is aware that diarrhoea and vomiting continues to circulate in the Island community. Visitors to the hospital, other health care facilities – GP surgeries, health clinics and nursing homes – and other places where people are vulnerable e.g. residential care homes - that it is vitally important for those who have been unwell with vomiting and/or diarrhoea recently, especially if they have had these symptoms in the past 48 hours, to stop visiting patients, relatives or friends.
Mrs Turner continued: “What ever you’re doing and wherever you’re going please maintain good hand hygiene because we know that many Islanders have been affected by the diarrhoea and vomiting circulating in the community. Please protect yourself and others from this nasty virus.”
