NHS Forth Valley asks hospital visitors not to attend if unwell and wear face masks as winter bugs cases soar
NHS Forth Valley is facing increasing pressure following a sharp increase in the number of patients with flu and other respiratory viruses in recent days as cases continue to spread widely across the community, with hospital visitors being asked to wear face coverings during visits.
The health board says that it is currently treating 83 patients for flu, Covid and respiratory viruses at its in-patient wards at Forth Valley Royal Hospital – which it says is a sharp rise on the prior weeks.
Flu cases normally peak between early January and mid-February so there is the potential for the number of cases to grow further in the coming days and weeks.
NHS Forth Valley Director of Acute Services, Garry Fraser, said the current levels of in-patients being treated means that one-in-six core patient beds is now occupied by patients with respiratory illnesses.
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“Ensuring these patients remain isolated is challenging and affects the wider capacity within the hospital”, he said.
“The increase in respiratory viruses, especially flu cases, is also placing additional strain on local services at an already busy time of year and we are continuing to monitor the situation closely."
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He added: “Vaccines are the first line of defence and the number of people currently in hospitals across Scotland with flu shows that it can be a very serious illness, particularly among vulnerable groups such as the elderly, pregnant women, young children and those with underlying health conditions, so please get vaccinated if you are eligible as it’s not too late.
“You can also help protect others and reduce the spread by not attending any hospital to visit friends or family if you are feeling ill or have any cold or flu-like symptoms, no matter how mild.
"If you do require to visit, please wear a mask provided at the entrance areas of the wards. We’d also encourage employers to play their part in helping to reduce the spread by encouraging workers to work from home, if possible.”
The health authority added that its emergency department at Forth Valley Royal Hospital continues to be busy and is there to treat patients with serious illnesses and injuries, like suspected heart attacks, strokes and breathing difficulties, who require emergency care.
If you have a minor injury or you need urgent health advice or treatment when your GP, pharmacy or dental practice is closed, call NHS 24 first on 111.
The NHS Inform website also has symptom checkers and you CAN also phone the NHS Inform helpline on 0800 22 44 88 for advice.
Further health information and advice, including details of local vaccination clinics, can be found on the Winter Zone of the NHS Forth Valley website. You can also call the national vaccination helpline on 0800 030 8013 to make an appointment.