People in Norfolk and Waveney are being urged to use health and care services wisely over the coming days to help ensure that care is available to patients who need it most.

Health and care services in Norfolk and Waveney are seeing high levels of demand and people are being urged to use services wisely and to look after themselves.

It comes as the Junior Doctors’ strike is set to continue until Thursday 16 March.

It is really important people do not delay seeking help from the NHS if they feel unwell. However, with local health services experiencing high demand, people are being urged to only attend an Emergency Department if it’s absolutely necessary.

The best way to get the medical help you need is to think NHS 111 first. Visit 111.nhs.uk or call 111 for anything that feels urgent, or if you are unsure what to do. They can direct you to the most appropriate place. In life-threatening emergencies dial 999.

Other things which everyone can do to help the NHS right now, include:

• Only call 999 or attend accident and emergency departments for serious accidents and for genuine emergencies, like chest pain, breathing difficulties, signs of a stroke or bleeding that won’t stop.
• When needing urgent medical care but it’s not an emergency, visit NHS 111 online or call NHS 111 for advice on how to get care at any time of day or night. If you need urgent mental health help, call 111 and choose the mental health option
• For non-urgent cases when needing medical advice and it’s not an emergency, speak to your GP practice or a pharmacist, or attend a minor injuries unit (Cromer) or walk in centre (Norwich).
• Please continue to treat all NHS and care staff with the respect they deserve.
• If you have a medical appointment and are not contacted directly, you should continue to attend for your appointment. If unable to make any NHS appointment, please contact the number on appointment letters so that it can be reallocated to another patient.