As we approach the August bank holiday, I would remind people across the county to plan ahead for their medication needs to ensure they have essential prescriptions in time.
With General Practices closed on the bank holiday Monday 25 August, it is crucial for patients who rely on repeat prescriptions to order them well in advance and to make sure they have enough to see them through the long weekend.
Running out of vital medication can cause unnecessary health risks and put pressure on urgent care services, so patients should be requesting their medication as soon as possible.
Although some pharmacies will be closed over the Bank Holiday period, some will remain open to provide expert advice, over-the-counter treatments, and emergency medication where appropriate. If you need advice or treatment over the bank holiday, the opening times of available pharmacies are here: http://bit.ly/4lq0Ti7.
If your condition is not life-threatening, please think of the different treatment options available and visit your local pharmacy or NHS 111 online which will advise you where to go for advice or treatment.
You can also call 111 from landlines and mobiles if you need urgent medical help or consider visiting your local Minor Injury Unit in Bridgnorth, Ludlow, Oswestry or Whitchurch. These can provide rapid treatment for injuries and illnesses that don’t require emergency hospital care.
Our emergency departments remain open for genuinely life-threatening emergencies – for example chest pains or severe bleeding or burns. If you have a life-threatening illness or injury please continue to dial 999.
It was fantastic to see the buggy which will be used to transport patients from the Treatment Centre to the Outpatient’s Department at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) unveiled last week.
The hospital transport buggy has been bought by SaTH Charity and the League of Friends of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital.
This means that our patients who find it difficult to navigate the hospital can do so with ease thanks to this wonderful collaboration by the charities.
The initiative aims to assist patients who may find it challenging to walk long distances within the hospital, particularly since the closure of the Outpatients Entrance in July 2024.
A team of dedicated volunteers who are being recruited and trained by the volunteer team from our Trust will operate the buggy.
Once their training is complete, the buggy will run from September so that patients can be picked up by our buggy during the weekdays (when in operation) and collected after their outpatient appointment at our designated “bus stops”.
It was great to see Jo Williams, Chief Executive, and Iain Gilmour, Chair of the Executive Board of the League of Friends of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital, have a test run on the buggy.
The “Cancer Bus Tour” will arrive in the county next week and will offer people the chance to access vital cancer information and support services.
The mobile health bus will be stopping in local communities bringing health professionals directly to the heart of neighbourhoods.
The first stop will be at Turreff Hall in Donnington, Telford, from 9am-4pm on Tuesday 19 August. The bus will stop at a range of accessible public locations from August through September.