With a double Bank Holiday coming up Somerset's family doctors and emergency medical services are advising patients to help themselves and the NHS by obtaining their essential repeat prescriptions or home medical supplies in good time.

The county's district hospital Accident and Emergency Departments and community hospital Minor Injury Units are also braced in preparation for the usual Bank Holiday flurry of patients arriving with every sort of DIY and gardening injury.

This year, the Easter Bank Holiday takes place from Friday 22 April to Monday 25th April 2011. It is followed three days later by a public holiday for the Royal Wedding on Friday 29 April with an early May Bank Holiday taking place on Monday 2 May 2011.

A visit to a busy district hospital Accident and Emergency Departments (A&E) is not the right thing to do for only minor ailments; however many people still remain unclear about what a medical emergency is and what level of treatment they really need.

You can help yourself and your family by ensuring you have some basic medicines, bandages, antiseptic and sticking plasters in the home and should you become ill or injure yourself, take a moment to choose the health service most appropriate for your medical condition, or best reflecting the level of seriousness of your ailment or injury.

Janet Thomas, a Senior Emergency Nurse Practitioner with Somerset Community Health, explains: "There is a wide range of NHS services and facilities available across Somerset to help people if they become ill over the Bank Holiday period.

"If you just think first and consider what level of support you really need you will find you save yourself a lot of time and effort. Rushing straight off to a district hospital A&E or telephoning 999 should be reserved for life threatening and emergency conditions only."

She added: "If your injury is not serious you can get help from your nearest community hospital's Minor Injury Unit (MIU) rather than a district hospital A&E department. By doing so you allow A&E staff to concentrate on the people with serious and life-threatening conditions and save yourself a potentially long wait."

To find your nearest community hospital Minor Injury Unit go here.

So what are your options if you feel ill over the Bank Holiday?

Visit your local pharmacists: Cough or cold, feeling unwell and ill and need advice? Visit your pharmacy for personal advice on common winter illnesses and for information on the best medicines for treatment.

Self Care: If you are stocked up with over the counter treatments then you can look after your cold or flu at home, but make sure you see your pharmacist or GP if troublesome symptoms persist or worsen.

Telephone NHS Direct: Help is always close at hand with confidential health advice and information through telephone, digital TV and online, 24 hours a day. Experts provide advice and answers to health-related questions. Telephone 0845 4647 or why not go online to check your symptoms here.

Out of hours GP Services: There are 75 GP surgeries across the county providing a range of services by appointment, including medical advice, examinations and prescriptions. Should you become ill after your GP surgery has closed the Somerset Out of Hours Emergency Medical Service is available. You can access the number by telephoning your usual GP surgery number and listening to the answer phone message or by telephoning 0845 408 8000.

Visit Yeovil's new GP-led Health Centre. You don't need to be registered at this health centre and can already be registered at a GP surgery. Located on the top floor of Boots in Middle Street the centre is open every day of the year. Normal GP and nurse care is available as well as quick and convenient health checks including blood pressure and cholesterol. No appointments are necessary, walk in for prompt attention. Open 8am to 8pm, telephone 01935 709 269

Go to your nearest community hospital Minor Injury Unit: There are 12 community hospitals across Somerset. If your injury is not serious you can get help from a minor injuries unit (MIU) rather than a busy hospital A&E department.

By doing so you allow A&E staff to concentrate on people with serious and life-threatening conditions and save yourself a potentially long wait. To check your local MIU's location and opening hours ring NHS Direct or go here.

Accident and Emergency: Only use A&E or call 999 for life threatening and emergency conditions. If a family member is experiencing chest pain or has become unconscious telephone 999 immediately.

Notes

What can and cannot be treated?

Minor Injury Unit staff can:

- stitch cuts,
- remove foreign bodies from ears, noses etc,
- remove splinters,
- dress minor wounds, cuts and grazes, and
- apply plaster casts,
- provide screening and treatment for Chlamydia and treat
- sprains and strains,
- minor broken bones,
- minor burns and scalds,
- minor head injuries,
- insect and animal bites,
- minor eye injuries, and
- other minor injuries.

Minor Injury Units cannot treat:

- unconscious patients,
- major injuries,
- overdoses,
- alcohol related problems, or
- mental health problems

and in such cases an Ambulance should be called by dialling 999.

Source:
Somerset NHS