Your Health

If you feel ill or have had an accident, it can be difficult to know which NHS service to use and when.

Though A&E might seem the easiest choice, it should only be used in an emergency. We have developed this handy guidance to help you choose the right service for you.

Choosing a more appropriate service can often be more convenient, and save you time. Pharmacies offer expert advice and over-the-counter medicines, NHS 111 offers round-the-clock help and advice, and GP practices and walk-in services are there to support you. And did you know that Portsmouth offers urgent same-day GP appointments until 10pm, 365 days a year?

Minor illness? Get expert advice on common health problems (coughs, colds, flu, rashes) from your local pharmacist. It may save you a trip to your GP surgery. You don’t need an appointment and you can speak in a private area. You’ll be advised if they think you need further help.

Minor injury? You can often be seen more quickly, 7 days a week, for broken bones, sprains and strains, minor cuts and wound infections at St Mary’s Urgent Treatment Centre – minor injuries and illness (0333 321 8277).

Not sure? Call NHS 111 or go online to 111.nhs.uk if you:

• think you might need to go to the Emergency Department or need another NHS urgent care service
• don’t know who to call for medical help
• need information about a health issue.

Out of hours? If you need help outside normal working hours, support is available. To contact the local primary care service until 10pm, call your practice. After that, contact NHS 111.

The NHS offers a wide range of services to help you to stay healthy, or to treat you when you are ill.

This can help you find services near to where you live – from hospitals to pharmacies.

Please note – dental services can be found via the NHS Service Finder, but the CCG is not responsible for commissioning dental services.

The Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust provides most acute, hospital services for people in the city.

The Solent NHS Trust provides the majority of community services, mental health care, and the CAMHS service.

Other providers of NHS services locally include Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.

To find out details of Portsmouth GP practices, visit the Our Member Practices section.

GP practices have been working incredibly hard throughout the pandemic to provide the best possible care for our residents.

Staff continue to offer face-to-face appointments in addition to telephone and online consultations, and the number of available appointments in the city is now higher than it was before the pandemic. Practices are continually reviewing and adapting processes in order to provide the right kind of care and appointments, alongside delivering new services such as COVID-19 vaccinations and booster jabs.

Practices are working differently to how they did before the pandemic, and this poster explains why.

Zero tolerance to abuse towards staff

While the majority of patients are respectful towards staff within our practices, we are aware that colleagues in the city have been verbally abused by a minority of patients who may be finding it difficult to get an appointment or see a GP when they want to. This abuse is unacceptable.

Portsmouth CCG and all of our practices support a zero tolerance on abuse against NHS workers. We believe that every doctor, nurse, GP, pharmacist and all healthcare professionals have the right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused.

When you contact your GP surgery to make an appointment, you will be asked some questions which are designed to help staff guide you to the most appropriate clinical person to help you with your condition. This could be a nurse, clinical pharmacist, physician’s associate, GP or paramedic. Find out more about these roles below.

Different roles in GP practices (A-Z)

Care Coordinators
A care coordinator is a trained health professional that helps to support people’s care. They offer a range of support such as monitoring and coordinating treatment plans, help educate people about their condition, connect people with services, and evaluate people’s progress.

Clinical Pharmacists
Undertake medication reviews for patients with complex, long-term needs and helping them to manage their conditions. They can also help with medication enquiries and prescriptions, supporting the repeat prescription system, dealing with acute prescription requests, and providing expertise in clinical medicines advice and medicines optimisation.

Dieticians
Experts in nutrition. They work with patients to alter their diets based on their medical condition and individual needs. Dietitians advise people and help them make informed and practical choices about their food and nutrition. This could include people with digestive problems, those who want to lose weight, or who need to put on weight after an illness, or people with an eating disorder or a food allergy.

First Contact Physiotherapists
Usually physiotherapists with enhanced skills that can help patients with issues such as back, neck and joint pain. By making it easier for patients to see a physiotherapist, they will have quicker access to diagnosis and treatment, helping them to manage their conditions more effectively and recover faster, so they can get back to normal life quickly. GPs will often refer patients to physios as they are often the best clinician to deal with certain issues.

General Practice Nurse
Involved in most aspects of patient care such as obtaining blood samples, minor and complex wound management, travel health advice and vaccinations, child immunisations and advice, family planning and women’s health, men’s health screening, sexual health services, smoking cessation and screening. GP nurses may also have direct supervision of healthcare assistants.

General Practitioners (GPs)
Treat all common medical conditions and refer patients to hospitals and other medical services for urgent and specialist treatment. They focus on the health of the whole person, combining physical, psychological and social aspects of care. GPs are part of a much wider team and often refer patients to other experts within the practice to provide specialist support for the patients’ needs.

Health and Wellbeing Coaches
Health and wellbeing coaches engage with people to support them in taking an active role in their health, by providing advice and support. They take a holistic approach, helping people to identify difficulties or issues in all areas of their life and helping them find solutions and lifestyle changes that mean they can lead happy and fulfilled lives. Health and wellbeing coaches can also play a key role in helping to tackle health inequalities.

Nursing Associates
Help to bridge the gap between healthcare support workers and registered nurses to deliver hands-on care as part of the nursing team. They allow nurses to focus on more complex clinical work. Nursing associates work with people of all ages and in a variety of settings.

Occupational Therapists
Work with people who have difficulties carrying out various day-to-day activities because of disability, illness, trauma, ageing, and a range of long-term conditions. They help people to get on with their every-day activities and stay in their own homes by providing adaptations.

Paramedics
Work in a variety of roles within a general practice. Their background in pre-hospital care means that they are used to working with people with a variety of health conditions from coughs and minor injuries to more serious conditions such as asthma and heart attacks. They work alongside GPs and help manage routine or urgent appointments, telephone triage (assessment of urgency of illness or injury) and home visits.

Patient Advisors
Receptionists are trained as patient advisors to ensure you get the right care, from the right person at the right time. Providing them with brief information means they can signpost you accordingly. This can save you time if an appointment is not needed or there are other services that can also support your needs. For example, other members of the practice team or community services.

Pharmacy Technicians
Work alongside the clinical pharmacists and the wider practice team. They help with prescription and medication enquiries, providing safe and effective medicines optimisation as well as ensuring any hospital medication changes are up to date and accurate. They also support electronic repeat dispensing, allowing patients to receive several months of prescriptions at one time and therefore reducing the need for a patient to see a GP each time.

Physician Associates
A clinical graduate who, while not a doctor, has the skills and knowledge to help diagnose and manage the treatment and care of patients, alongside the practice team, under the supervision of an experienced GP. They can provide extra capacity to help with continuity of patient care and help free up consultants to concentrate on more complex cases.

Social Prescribers
Sometimes people visit their practice for issues caused by non-medical things like loneliness, anxiety, debt and unemployment, where a medical prescription is not the best solution.

A social prescriber works with patients and their families to help them access a range of local community services that provide practical or emotional support and guidance of a non-medical nature.

This helps improve the health and wellbeing of people in the community and allows people to remain independent and live their best lives.

For more information about the different healthcare professionals that work at GP surgeries and the wider community, visit NHS Health Careers.

Need to register with a GP practice?
You can search for your nearest GP practice by entering your address on the NHS website.

Find out more about how to register with a GP practice.

What should I do if I need support when my GP practice is closed?

If you need medical help and your GP practice is closed, and it is not a life-threatening emergency, contact the 111 service online or call 111. A trained adviser will direct you to the right NHS service depending on your needs. The NHS 111 service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a medical emergency you/they should still attend an Emergency Department or call 999.

When you or your family are unwell, you may not always need to make an appointment to see your GP.

Pharmacists are specialists in the use of medicines, and a source of expertise and advice. Your local community pharmacist is a trained medical professional who can guide you on the best treatment for a wide range of illnesses and minor ailments.

You can visit a community pharmacy without the need to make an appointment. Several pharmacies in the city are open until late evening and on Sundays.

Pharmacy First

Many pharmacies participate in the Pharmacy First scheme, which allows people who receive certain benefits to go straight to their pharmacist to receive treatment, for selected minor ailments, without needing to visit their GP to get a prescription.

Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD)

You might be suitable for electronic repeat dispensing (eRD) if you get regular or repeat medicines that do not change. eRD means your GP can send your regular or repeat prescriptions electronically to a pharmacy of your choice. You can then collect your medication from your pharmacy, or ask them to deliver it to your home. Find out more about eRD here.

Over the Counter (OTC) Medicines

There are many medicines which can help with minor health concerns, but which do not require a prescription.

Over the counter medicines are available to buy in a pharmacy or supermarket in your local community. The team of health professionals at your local pharmacy can offer help and clinical advice to manage minor health concerns and if your symptoms suggest it’s more serious, they’ll ensure you get the care you need, including referring you to your GP if appropriate. Please help the NHS to use resources sensibly.

You can read this leaflet explaining more about over-the-counter medicines.

Emollient bath and shower products

To ensure NHS funds are spent effectively, and in line with national guidance, NHS Portsmouth CCG has asked GPs to review and stop the prescribing of emollient bath and shower products. This is because these products are not considered to be any more clinically effective than applying a moisturiser directly onto your skin, and a study has shown that using pour in the bath emollients did not make any difference to eczema symptoms.

Your GP will continue to prescribe your cream or ointment which can also be used instead of soap in the bath or shower (apart from Liquid and White Soft Paraffin 50:50 ointment), so one product can be used for both washing and moisturising. Many emollient shower gels and bath additives are now available to purchase from pharmacies and supermarkets if you still wish to use these.

You can find out more about the changes to prescriptions of emollient products from this leaflet and poster.

Self-care is about keeping fit and healthy, understanding when you can look after yourself, when a pharmacist can help, and when to get advice from your GP or another healthcare professional. If you have a long-term condition, self-care is about understanding that condition and how to live with it.

Top tips for self-care

1.Have a well-stocked medicine cabinet

Have things in the house that can be used to treat most minor ailments. This should include:

• Paracetamol and aspirin, and equivalent syrups (such as Calpol) for children
• Cold and cough medicines, and lozenges for sore throats
• Mild laxatives to relieve constipation
• Rehydration mixtures for diarrhoea or vomiting
• Indigestion remedy
• Thermometer to check for fever
• Range of plasters, bandages and dressings
• Antiseptic wipes to clean cuts before they’re dressed
• Travel sickness tablets.

2. Choose the right NHS service

To make sure you get the most appropriate service for your needs, it’s important to know what local NHS services are on offer and when you should use each service. Use our guide below to help:

The Self-Care Forum has a series of fact sheets to help you take care of the most common ailments: what you can expect to happen, how to self-care and when you should contact the NHS. Research shows that people using the fact sheets felt more able to manage their common condition.

3. Keep warm

In the winter months, it’s important to keep warm. Heat your house as much as you can. If you can’t heat all your rooms, heat the one you spend most time in during the day, and your bedroom just before bedtime. Most people are fine at 18C, but you may need slightly higher if you’re older or unwell.

Close curtains before sunset and shut doors and windows to keep heat in. Wear slippers or socks indoors, enjoy warm drinks, and if you’re able, move around indoors to help keen warm.

Wear appropriate clothing outdoors such as a hat, scarf and gloves.

4. Eat a balanced diet

Having a diet that’s rich in fruit and vegetables and low in saturated fat, salt and sugar will not only make you feel better but will have a positive impact on your health. The key to a healthy diet is to eat the right amount of calories for how active you are; eat or drink too much and you’ll put on weight because the energy you don’t use is stored as fat, and eat or drink too little and you’ll lose weight. Discover top tips for healthy eating on the NHS website.

5. Be active

Being active is great for your physical and mental health, and it’s not about running a marathon or playing competitive sports. Being active is about walking more, using the stairs instead of the lift, doing something you enjoy that increases your heartrate.

Adults should be active for at least 150 minutes each week, children aged 5-16 years should be active for at least 60 minutes per day and kids under 5 need 3 hours of activity a day.

Energise Me in Hampshire aims to create happier, healthier and stronger communities through sport and activity. You can find activities on their website as well as tips for getting active at work and home.

6. Enjoy a healthier lifestyle

It’s never too late to switch to a healthier lifestyle – for you and those around you. Children who learn healthy habits at a young age will benefit from them throughout their life.

The most common ways to improve your health is by eating well, quitting smoking and drinking less alcohol – and there are lots of NHS resources to help:
• Smoking facts, advice and support
• Alcohol facts, advice and support

These resources are from the NHS Live Well website which has lots of other useful information around mental wellbeing, healthy weight, sleep, sexual health and more.

7. Get outside daily

You should try to get outside in natural daylight as much as possible as vitamin D helps to keep our muscles, bones and teeth healthy, as well as providing stimulation for the brain and making us feel happier. If you can’t get outside, consider taking vitamin D supplements, especially during the winter months.

8. Get your vaccinations

Whether it’s your annual flu jab or COVID-19 vaccination or booster, it’s important to boost your immunity, especially in winter. Getting these jabs help to protect ourselves but also those around us – particularly those who are most vulnerable.

9. Look out for each other

While self-care is predominantly about looking after your own health, it’s also about checking in on each other and looking out for those around you. Whether it’s an elderly relative or neighbour, friend or family member you haven’t seen for a while, or someone you see every day – check in on them and keep in touch regularly to make sure they’re okay.

Living with a long-term health condition

Living with a long-term health condition brings challenges and it’s important to have the confidence, support and information to manage your own health. Self-care can help you make the most of living with your condition, rather than avoiding or missing out on things because of it. Self-care puts you in control.

Research shows that people with long-term conditions who take control of their health feel more able to cope with their health problem, have better pain management, fewer flare ups and more energy.

NHS Choices has created some practical tips on living with a long-term condition that you can see in their self-care toolkit. We’ve also listed some top tips below:

• Accept you have a long-term health condition
• Take your medication as prescribed – if you have any problems with your medication ask your pharmacist
• Build a support team around you so you have people to talk to if needed
• Pace your daily activities – there’s no pressure to rush anything
• Set goals and action plans so you have something to work towards
• Learn to prioritise and plan your days
• Keep a diary and track your progress
• Be patient with yourself and have a plan for setbacks
• Exercise
• Learn relaxation skills
• Keep going – you’re doing brilliantly

Why is self-care important?

Supporting people to self-care and self-manage their health and wellbeing is about putting people in control. It helps to build confidence for those living with long-term health conditions, encourages people to stay well and healthy, and provides support for those dealing with short-term illnesses and ailments.
You can read more about self-care through the Self Care Forum.

The CCG has a Continuing Healthcare team – an integrated health and social care team responsible for assessing whether an individual is eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding, in accordance with the principles and process set out in the revised National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS Funded Nursing care.

An individual may qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare either:

• Following a comprehensive assessment, when it is found that the nature, complexity, intensity or unpredictability of their needs (or any combination of these) indicates they have a primary health need
• Fast track route – when the individual has a rapidly deteriorating condition, which may be in terminal phase.

What does our Continuing Care Team in Portsmouth do?

The team provides training and support to professionals from multi-disciplinary teams across all care groups within community, hospital and local authority staff. This ensures consistency of understanding of the referral, screening, assessment and review processes, and guides staff in how to use the national tools to aid decision-making.

We carry out assessments and reviews for all individuals living in nursing homes, registered with a Portsmouth GP, including screening for NHS Continuing Healthcare and determination of registered nurse needs (Funded Nursing Care).

We are also responsible for ensuring that all those who have met the eligibility criteria for NHS Continuing Healthcare are reviewed after three months and then annually thereafter. Reviews can be triggered if needs have changed. For those who have met the Fast Track criteria there will be a review within six weeks if appropriate and a full assessment to determine ongoing eligibility.

Who is on the team?

The NHS Continuing Care/117 Team consists of clinical lead, team manager, nurses and social workers and administrative support. We work closely with the Health and Care Portsmouth Commissioning Team which is responsible for authorising the purchase of care from an agency or private provider, once a person has been agreed as eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare.

Referral criteria and method

• Routine referrals- can be made by health or social care professionals
• Fast Track referral- is made by experienced healthcare professionals.

Solent Mind – Portsmouth Advocacy

Portsmouth Advocacy offers a wide range of free advocacy services. If you feel that you need someone to listen to you, and help you to speak up, then you may benefit from an advocate. For more information, click here.

Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards 2009

Safeguarding is about ensuring everyone is treated with dignity and respect and does not suffer abuse – especially those unable to protect themselves from harm and abuse, possibly due to their age, a disability or because they are unwell.

To ensure this, care has to be of high quality to prevent abuse happening. It also means there is an effective response if there is evidence or a suspicion of abuse.

Safeguarding Adults and Children

The CCG’s safeguarding declaration is:
Living a life that is free from harm and abuse is a fundamental right of every person. All of us need to act as good neighbours and citizens in looking out for one another and seeking to prevent harmful and abusive situations for and adults at risk of harm and children.

Worried about a vulnerable adult?

For safeguarding adults www.portsmouthsab.uk

To discuss a concern or make a safeguarding adults referral, please contact:

• Email: PortsmouthAdultMash@secure.portsmouthcc.gov.uk
• Portsmouth City Council Safeguarding Adults: 023 9268 0810
• Out of office hours: 023 9268 0810

Worried about a child?

For safeguarding children www.portsmouthscp.org.uk

If you are concerned about a child contact:

• Email: MASH@secure.portsmouthcc.gov.uk
• Portsmouth Children’s Social Care (MASH): 0845 671 0271 / 023 9268 8793
• Out of office hours: 0300 555 1373

Worried about domestic abuse?

If you are suffering from domestic abuse, or you believe that someone else may be, please visit the Safer Portsmouth Partnership website.

Worried about modern slavery?

If you think a person is a potential victim of modern slavery / human trafficking in any part of the UK, contact the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) via the Adult Social Care Helpdesk:

• Email: PortsmouthAdultMash@secure.portsmouthcc.gov.uk
• Adult Social Care Helpdesk: 023 9268 0810
• Out of office hours: 023 9282 2251.

PREVENT: worried about an individual being at risk of being radicalised or exploited?

Contact the Portsmouth safeguarding team on 023 9268 0810.

Our Work

Within NHS Portsmouth CCG, safeguarding is a high priority. We have robust arrangements and a clear line of accountability in place to provide strong leadership, vision and direction for safeguarding.

Our professionals for safeguarding play a key part in the clinical decision making of the organisation. The following measures are in place:

• Executive level CCG membership of both Portsmouth Safeguarding Adult and Children Boards
• Close collaboration with Portsmouth City Council
• Ensuring that safeguarding adult and children strategies and associated policies are in place
• Ensuring that providers of services are held to account through regular review of safeguarding arrangements
• Designated nurses and doctors in post to offer professional expertise and advice.