Wiltshire NHS’ challenges and what you can do to help
The NHS is facing a challenging financial future, by 2017 there is likely to be a £100milion annual funding gap in the Wiltshire, B&NES and Swindon area. In fact, it’s predicted that by 2020/21, there will be a £30billion funding gap across the whole NHS.
An ageing population and long term conditions
Like the rest of the UK, people in Wiltshire are living longer which is good news but what impact does an ageing population have when there is a limited amount of money to spend on healthcare.
Currently, 22% of our population is over 65 years old and 3% are over 85 years old. These figures are expected to double by 2035 and according to The Telegraph, 1 in 12 people across the UK will be over 80 years old by 2039.
People are living longer but they are not always living well. In Wiltshire there are 75,000 people in the county living with long-term health conditions. This means a significant proportion of our annual budget is spent providing medical care for older people and people with a combination of lots of conditions like diabetes and COPD to live well. In fact:
- 50% of all GP appointments are for people with a long-term condition
- 70% of the total days spent in hospital beds are for long-term conditions
- 70% of hospital and primary care budgets are used to care for people with a long-term condition
Increasing costs and future cuts
The cost of providing care is getting more expensive. In 2013 public sector spending on health care totalled £125.5 billion and the total healthcare spend per person was £2,350, more than two and a half times the level in 1997.
The NHS now provides a much more extensive and sophisticated range of treatments. New drugs, technologies and therapies have made a major contribution to extending the length and quality of people’s lives. However, many healthcare innovations are more expensive than the old technologies they replace.
The NHS is facing this challenge at the same time that the UK is experiencing a tough economical situation and adjusting to much tighter public finances.It’s likely that by 2017 there will be a £100milion annual funding gap in the Wiltshire, B&NES and Swindon area. Find out more in our press release and blog.
Across the UK there is a shortage of healthcare professionals. Across England, Wales and Northern Ireland there are 23,443 nursing vacancies (9% of the total nursing workforce) and 6,207 doctor vacancies (7% of the total doctor workforce).
Also, there are currently 32 healthcare roles listed on the UK Shortage Occupations List including:
- Consultant in Neurology
- Medical staff for emergency medicine
- Social Worker in Children’s and Family Services
- Specialist Nurse Working in Neonatal Intensive Care Units
- Radiotherapy Technologist
The shortage of people working in social care means that together with Wiltshire Council, we’re doing our very best to make sure we can support people when they need it most. Our number one priority is to make sure that people can get the care and treatment they need either in their own home or as close to home as possible.
It’s not all doom and gloom – we know that we face a tough road ahead, but by working in collaboration with our health colleagues across Wiltshire we’re making some great strides forward to ensure we can properly deal with some of the issues we are currently facing. Find out more in our press release and blog.
Accessing the right healthcare for you >
Listen to Dr Peter Jenkins, Chair of Wiltshire CCG, Dr Chetal Sheth, Dr Richard Sandford-Hill and Dr Lindsay Kinlin talk about where to access the right healthcare when you’re feeling unwell.
If you become unwell or are injured, it’s important to choose the right NHS service to make sure you get the best treatment as quickly as possible. In Wiltshire, there are numerous ways to access health care advice and treatment.
Demand on healthcare continues to grow and can lead to long waiting times in A&E departments. There are many alternative options for accessing treatment if your condition is not serious our life-threatening but it is not always easy to understand which service is the best for you to use.
For minor injuries and illnesses you might be able to look after yourself at home. If you need help urgently but it is not an emergency, your local pharmacy, GP or the NHS 111 service can help.
If your illness or injury is serious but not life threatening you can get medical help at a minor injuries unit or walk in centre.
Self-care is about doing what you can to look after yourself at home. A lot of illnesses or symptoms, such as coughs, colds, sore throats, upset stomachs and aches and pains, can be treated in your home through rest and a well-stocked medicine cabinet.
It is a good idea to have a medicine cabinet where you can keep some basic medication. In doing so it might save you going out if you are not feeling well or if the weather is bad. The following medicines might be useful:-
- pain relief, such as paracetamol, aspirin and/or ibuprofen
- bite and sting relief spray/cream
- oral rehydration salts
- anti-diarrhoea tablets
- indigestion remedies
- sun cream
- cough medicine
- a first aid kit including plasters, bandages, a thermometer, antiseptic, eyewash solution, sterile dressings, medical tape and tweezers
Remember to always follow the directions on the packets, never exceed the stated dose, and make sure your medicine is not out of date. Also, don’t give aspirin to children under 16 years old as it can cause serious complications in children.
NHS 111 is a free to call service which will help you when you need advice or access to medical and dental help fast but it is not an emergency.
It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help you access local urgent health care services. Call 111 free from a landline or mobile.
Calling 111 will connect you to a team of fully trained call advisers, who are supported by experienced healthcare professionals. They will ask you questions to assess your symptoms, and give you healthcare advice or direct you to the most appropriate service which could be an out-of-hours doctor, walk-in centre, urgent care centre, community nurse, emergency dentist or late opening chemist.
You should call 111 if:
- it is not a 999 emergency
- you think you need to go to A&E or another NHS urgent care service but you are not sure
- you do not think you can wait for an appointment with your GP
- you do not know who to call for medical help.
If you have difficulties communicating or hearing, you can use the NHS 111 service through a textphone by calling 18001 111.
For more information on NHS 111, visit the NHS website.
Your local Pharmacist is a trained expert in medicines who can provide confidential advice and treatment for a range of common illnesses and complaints, such as aches and pains, cystitis, colds and skin rashes. Just a few of the other services pharmacies can provide include:
- advice on the safe use of prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines
- the morning after pill
- pregnancy tests
- flu vaccinations
- needle and syringe exchange service
Pharmacies are also increasingly supporting people to improve their health and wellbeing through advice on: healthy eating, physical activity, losing weight and stopping smoking, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Most pharmacies are open until late and at weekends, and many have a quiet area where you can talk to a Pharmacist in private. You also don’t need to book an appointment to see a Pharmacist. For more information about pharmacies, visit the NHS website.
Click here to find your local pharmacy.
General Practitioner (GP)
GPs deal with a whole range of health problems. They also provide health education, offer advice on smoking and diet, run clinics, give vaccinations and carry out simple surgical operations. If your GP cannot deal with a problem, then you’ll usually be referred to a hospital for tests, treatment, or to see a consultant with specialist knowledge.
GPs usually work in practices as part of a team, which includes nurses, healthcare assistants, practice managers, receptionists and other staff. Practices also work closely with other healthcare professionals, such as health visitors, midwives, mental health services and social care services.
For urgent GP out-of-hours just ring your GPs normal number.
Alternatively, you can call NHS 111 if you urgently need medical help or advice but it’s not a life-threatening situation. You can also call NHS 111 if you’re not sure which NHS service you need.
Click here to find your local GP practice.
Minor Injury Units (MIUs)
If you have a minor injury that isn’t serious, you can get help from a MIU rather than going to an A&E department. This will allow A&E staff to concentrate on people with serious, life-threatening conditions and may save you a long wait. MIUs can treat:
- sprains and strains
- broken bones
- wound infections
- minor burns and scalds
- minor head injuries
- insect and animal bites
Accident and emergency departments and the 999 ambulance service are only to be used in a serious or life-threatening situation. A&E provides immediate emergency care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for people who show the symptoms of serious illness or are badly injured, such as:
- loss of consciousness
- acute confused state and fits that are not stopping
- persistent, severe chest pain
- breathing difficulties
- severe bleeding that can’t be stopped
- severe allergic reactions
- severe burns or scalds
Less severe injuries can be treated in an MIU.
A&E services are very busy, in 2012/13 alone 18.3 million people accessed A&E departments – that’s over twice size of population of London! People who make unnecessary visits to A&E slow down a service that, for some, can make the difference between life and death.
Only use an A&E service in very serious or life-threatening situations.
If it is a genuine emergency, where someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk, call 999 and don’t panic.
You can contact emergency services via SMS if you are deaf, hearing impaired or have a speech impediment. Visit the emergencySMS website for more information or to register your phone.
For more information on what to do in an emergency, visit the NHS website.
Click here to find your local A&E department.
Taking your health seriously >
Listen to Dr Peter Jenkins, Chair of Wiltshire CCG, Dr Chetal Sheth, Dr Richard Sandford-Hill and Dr Lindsay Kinlin talk about how staying healthy and living well is our own responsibility.
Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group is asking people to make small changes to their lifestyles to help them to live well for longer.
Making sure we stay healthy and live well is our own responsibility. Eating a healthy diet, not smoking and taking plenty of exercise is vital in helping us to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid potentially life threatening illness such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Find out more in our press release or blog.
The smallest changes to your habits can have a surprising effect and can help make a huge difference to your physical and mental health. Click on the links below for tips to help you stay healthy and live well.
Eating well and having a healthy diet
- Great tips and advice to help you cook healthy and tasty meals.
- Search recipes by meal time.
- Find your favourite recipes and create shopping lists.
Click here to download the app.
For more information on eating well have having a healthy diet, visit the NHS website.
Being active and moving more
For more information on being active and moving more, visit the NHS website.
Tips and advice for general wellbeing
- Improve your general wellbeing
- Build your self confidence and motivation
- Eat healthier food and be a healthy weight
- Reduce or stop smoking
- Be more active
- Drink less alcohol