"We desperately need the public's help."

Those are the words of Gill May, chief nurse at the Bath & North East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board as the local health service buckles under "unprecedented" demand. 

As a result, the region's health leaders have issued an urgent appeal for people to play their part as local hospitals and health services experience unprecedented demand.

The system is seeing record numbers of people attending accident and emergency departments, calling 111, accessing GP services, and calling 999 and this demand is being further pressured because of delays in discharging patients from hospitals who are ready to go home.

Members of the public can help during this extremely busy time by only visiting A&E departments or calling 999 in the case of a life-threatening emergency, being available to support relatives being discharged from hospitals, and practicing good self-care such as collecting prescriptions in advance and using services such as 111 online and local pharmacies.

Ms May added: “The health and care system is currently under intense pressure and experiencing a period of unprecedented demand.

“Our local system, including hospitals, ambulance services, GP surgeries and social care services are working closely together to address this situation but we desperately need the public’s help.

“We are appealing to local people to help us get loved ones home from hospital, using the right health and care service when looking for support, practicing effective self-care, visiting pharmacies for help with minor ailments and following advice from NHS 111.”

Dr Jon Westbrook, chief medical officer at Swindon's Great Western Hospital, echoed these statements.

He said: “We are asking the public to do all they can to support us at this extremely busy time.

“Before visiting our Urgent Treatment Centre or Emergency Department I would strongly urge people to consider all the local healthcare options available.

“We see patients in order of clinical need, so if there are patients with more critical or life-threatening conditions you might be waiting a very long time to be seen.

“It is an enormous help if patients who no longer need to be in hospital are able to return home or continue their care in the community at the earliest opportunity and we value the support of local people in helping to make this happen.”