NHS England has launched a Winter Health Check scheme to urge people to take early advice on health problems.
The advice is particularly aimed at those who are very young, the elderly and frail or those who have existing health problems.
NHS England believes a key way of addressing this winter’s pressures on hospital A&E departments is to encourage the prevention and early treatment of illnesses, particularly breathing problems.
NHS England has launched a Winter Health Check scheme to urge people to take early advice on health problems.
The advice is particularly aimed at those who are very young, the elderly and frail or those who have existing health problems.
NHS England believes a key way of addressing this winter’s pressures on hospital A&E departments is to encourage the prevention and early treatment of illnesses, particularly breathing problems.
Weekly updates on how the NHS is handling winter will be produced, giving the public better information than has previously been available.
An analysis published by NHS England shows that many of the pressures faced by the NHS over the winter occur because of a seasonal rise in the number of patients attending A&E departments who need to be admitted to hospital.
Professor Keith Willett, NHS England national clinical director for acute care said: “Demand in winter can best be managed by better self-care, surveillance by family and carers to ensure prompt recognition of illness and early access to medication, as well as by good access to the General Practice team.
“We need quicker facilitated discharge into community services and social care either from A&E, rapid assessment and treatment units, or from in-patient beds. This needs access seven days a week to senior clinical input, routine diagnostics and pharmacy.”
The first Winter Health Check report is available to view on the NHS England website.
