'Team Oxfordshire' working together once more to tackle winter pressures

As we prepare for the busy winter months, health professionals across the health and social care system in Oxfordshire are building on their experience of working together throughout the year and during previous winters to deliver services.

Staff from the county's hospitals, GP practices, social services, community health services, ambulance services, mental health services, and the voluntary sector are working together to provide safe, effective, and sustainable care for people across Oxfordshire.

Winter is a high-pressure season for health and social care services, with the colder temperatures and harsher weather conditions leading to increased demands on GPs and Emergency Departments as flu season begins.

This means that health and social care staff working as 'Team Oxfordshire' is especially important.

Lisa Glynn, Interim Chief Operating Officer at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH), said: "Winter is the busiest season for health services – as temperatures drop, we see more respiratory illnesses like RSV and, of course, flu. After another busy year, the winter team's priority is to ensure that people who need medical treatment are able to access services to get the care they need.

"We all know that, more often than not, treatment closer to home is what's best for patients – they can be looked after in a home setting, in familiar surroundings, and with their home comforts. As always, we’re working hard with our health and social care colleagues to get people safely home from hospital as quickly as possible, but also addressing the other end of the scale and preventing unnecessary hospital admissions."

Emergency Departments often see the highest demand in winter, and OUH colleagues have been working hard to improve performance this year.

Lisa added: "A variety of quality improvement initiatives in our Emergency Department have led to an improvement on our performance, but we still want people to remember that Emergency Departments are for genuine emergencies - if you need medical help but it's not urgent, then your local Pharmacy, Minor Injuries Unit, or GP will be best-placed to help you. If you are unsure where to go for help, contact NHS 111 who can provide advice and direct you to the best place for the care you need."

One of the best ways of keeping yourself and those around you well is to make sure you're up-to-date with your flu vaccination and COVID booster vaccination if you are in the groups these are recommended for.

Dr Ed Capo Bianco, an Oxfordshire GP, said: "It is important to keep yourself well this winter. Having a personal winter plan might include stocking up on the cold and flu medicines in your medicine cabinet at home, as well as thinking about other supplies that can help you manage if we have a cold snap. It is also important to make sure that if you do have a long-term condition like diabetes, asthma, or high blood pressure you take your prescribed medication and attend any review appointments that are due.

“If you do fall ill, you can get helpful advice from your local pharmacy or get in touch with 111 online or by phone. And don’t forget to download the NHS App, it has lots of advice on hundreds of conditions and can help you access health services.”

GP practices will contact those patients eligible for the free flu jab and COVID-19 booster to attend vaccination clinics which are taking place over the next few months in Oxfordshire.

More information on who is eligible for a free flu vaccination is available on the NHS website.

Alongside health care, Oxfordshire County Council's social care team play an integral role in reducing hospital admissions, and supporting those who require a hospital admission to get home as quickly as possible.

Karen Fuller, Director of Adult Social Care at Oxfordshire County Council, said: "Our Oxfordshire Way vision looks to support people to live well and independently within their own communities for as long as possible. This is achieved by working with partners in community and voluntary groups who, alongside us, are able to offer more personalised support closer to home.

"If a hospital admission is required, our discharge to assess model is helping to support more people to be discharged faster and safely with additional care arranged for their return home. 

"This is not only good news for hospitals, reducing unnecessary stays, but crucially it’s great news for residents as people are regaining their independence faster and reducing their need for more formal long-term care.”

The council’s Live Well Oxfordshire guide offers a wealth of information including details of community support groups, information for carers, and advice on staying independent and active in your local area.

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust provides community physical health services and mental health services, including the county's out-of-hours GP service and Minor Injury Units, Oxfordshire's community hospitals, the Oxfordshire NHS 24/7 Mental Health Helpline, and health visiting and school nurse services.

Britta Klinck, Chief Nurse at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, said: "As we are moving towards the darkest and coldest part of the year, it’s important to think about preparing for winter, helping one another to support and look after our physical and mental health.

“If you, or someone you know, qualifies for vaccinations for flu or COVID it’s really important to take the opportunity. These vaccinations help to protect vulnerable people so I am really keen as many people as possible get them.

"Oxford Health colleagues work hard to support people to stay healthy, live well, and thrive, whether that's providing clinical care at home or via our community hospitals, county-wide district nursing teams, school nursing service, or help through our mental health teams.

"If you are an adult or young person struggling with your mental wellbeing, NHS help is at hand with the Oxfordshire NHS 24-hour mental health helpline via NHS 111 online. You can also look up Oxfordshire Talking Therapies online."

Last winter, South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) attended over 216,000 emergency 999 incidents, of which just over 73% were for category one or category two emergencies – the highest category of calls for the most seriously ill or injured patients.

Mark Ainsworth, Executive Director of Operations at SCAS, said: "The arrival of winter and cold weather always sees increased pressure on NHS services across the board, and the ambulance service is no different. Cold weather exacerbates many pre-existing health conditions and can lead to more 999 calls and more patients having to spend time in hospital. We will always focus our ambulance teams on our most seriously ill and injured patients – the category one and category two emergencies. Whilst we aim to get to all other patients within two to three hours, there may be times this winter when that will not be possible, and those patients may experience much longer waits at peak periods.

"That's why we continue to urge the public to only call 999 if you, or someone you're with, is suffering a life-threatening or serious emergency that requires immediate treatment and you are unable to get yourself to hospital or other treatment centre. If it’s not an emergency, people should use the NHS 111 service by going online at 111.nhs.uk or by calling 111. Whether you use the online or telephone service, you just need to answer a few questions about your main symptoms to get the help and advice you need, including a call back from a doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional if required.”

This video outlines the kind of care that can be carried out in people’s homes, preventing unnecessary admissions to hospital and also providing care closer to home.