Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

08/12/2025

We have seen a 53% increase in attendances to our Children's Emergency Unit for under 17s in the last two weeks, which means our children’s service are currently very busy, with a lot of young people being treated in CEU and being admitted to the Children's Unit for ongoing care. 💙

🎥Here is Dr Phil Peacock to advise on other local support for your child which could avoid a trip to hospital.

If your child has symptoms of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) or other respiratory symptoms, please contact NHS 111 at the earliest opportunity so that you can access treatment and prevent the symptoms from worsening.

🔗https://www.healthiertogether.nhs.uk/

08/12/2025

Around a third of adults in the UK have high blood pressure, but many don’t know it.

Having your blood pressure checked for free at your local community pharmacy only takes a few minutes and could save your life.🫀

https://bsw.icb.nhs.uk/staywellthiswinter/

🫀Stay Well This Winter

Around a third of adults in the UK have high blood pressure, but many don’t know it.

Having your blood pressure checked for free at your local community pharmacy only takes a few minutes and could save your life.

https://bsw.icb.nhs.uk/staywellthiswinter/

08/12/2025

Right now, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) cases are increasing in the local community, alongside other respiratory conditions such as flu. 🤧

Young children are more likely to pick up coughs, colds and RSV during the winter months. Whilst we don’t want you to be overly concerned if your child has a cough or cold, it is always a good idea to plan ahead.

Make sure you have a well-stocked medicine cabinet and know what to look out for if your child becomes unwell. 💊

📞🔗Always contact your GP or NHS 111 if you're not sure what to do, or visit the Healthier Together website: https://www.healthiertogether.nhs.uk/

08/12/2025

Well done to the 314 local people who took on the Brighter Futures GWH Santa vs Rudolph run, raising important funds for those extra special touches to support our patients.🩷🧡

07/12/2025

Avoid the pre-Christmas rush and get your repeat prescriptions in by Friday.💊

If you rely on regular medicine to stay well, you must order the medicine you'll need during the festive season earlier than usual.

Pharmacies across the region are likely to be busier than normal in the run-up to the big day, which is why you should get your repeat prescriptions in no later than Friday 12 December if you're nearing the end of your medication.💊

🔗 https://bsw.icb.nhs.uk/its-beginning-to-look-a-lot-like-christmas-so-get-repeat-prescriptions-in-early/

06/12/2025

With an expected spike in flu cases over the next few weeks, this will put additional pressure on our already busy services.

If you’re eligible, getting vaccinated this winter can significantly reduce your risk of serious illness. Don’t wait, act now to protect yourself and those around you.

Hear from Chief Nurse, Luisa Goddard, who explains more. 🎥

🔗 https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/flu-vaccine/

05/12/2025

We are currently seeing an increase in flu and other respiratory illnesses in our community, with many people becoming very unwell and flu hospitalisations at Great Western Hospital increasing by 63% in the past week.

To help reduce the spread of infection, we are asking all staff, patients and visitors to wear a face mask or face covering in our admission areas, including the Emergency Department, Children’s Emergency Unit, Medical Assessment Unit, Paediatric Assessment Unit, Surgical Assessment Unit, The Meadows, Neonatal Unit and Delivery Suite.

It is also highly recommended that staff, patients and visitors wear a face mask in other clinical areas in the hospital.

Face masks will be provided on arrival to the hospital, for those who are clinically able to wear one.

🔗More information on our website: https://www.gwh.nhs.uk/news/posts/2025/december/patients-and-visitors-asked-to-wear-face-masks-as-flu-cases-rise/

04/12/2025

A new endoscopy unit in Swindon has opened its doors to the public!🩻

The unit, based in the town's Community Diagnostic Centre will help an extra 6,000 patients get care sooner.

The service will be managed in the community by clinical teams from our organisation, allowing people to access diagnoses and care quicker.

We recently held a ribbon cutting with colleagues from Great Western Hospitals and NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB to mark the opening of this significant investment to healthcare provision for our local communities. 💙

04/12/2025

It's , and we're shouting out the team on our Children's Emergency Unit!🌟

A relative said: "There wasn’t one point where there wasn’t a doctor, nurse, major trauma team or surgeon in with us. They made him comfortable and got done what needed to be done to secure the wrist!

"Not a lot of people appreciate how hard their job really is and what they deal with on a day to day basis. We’ve had our first broken bone experience and at the care of the NHS, it was the most supportive and calm experience for the comfort of both me and my son.”

Well done team CEU, incredible work to care for Swindon's youngest patients.💙

02/12/2025

When Lesley felt unwell recently, she didn't book a GP appointment or head to the Emergency Department.

Instead, she walked into Clive Parade Pharmacy and spoke to the pharmacist – who prescribed antibiotics on the spot.💊

"I have consulted with the pharmacist on a number of occasions and have not only received excellent advice but also had antibiotics prescribed," said Lesley. "The pharmacies are an excellent first contact for a range of ailments and I fully support the Pharmacy First initiative."

And Lesley's not alone. Pharmacists can now treat seven common conditions and prescribe medication when needed – meaning you can get help faster, closer to home.💙

🔗https://bsw.icb.nhs.uk/your-health/which-nhs-service-should-i-use/pharmacies/

01/12/2025

We are introducing new British Sign Language (BSL) QR codes around the hospital, which patients are able to scan to link directly to a BSL interpreter via their own, or one of our, mobile devices. 🤳

A virtual BSL interpreter can support deaf patients during planned or emergency visits to the hospital, and accessing the interpreter through a mobile device means that interpreting support will be in place much quicker.

The QR codes will be in the following areas: Main Atrium, Brunel Treatment Centre reception, Urgent Treatment Centre navigator, Emergency Department reception, Surgical Assessment unit reception, Medical Assessment unit reception, PALS reception and Delivery Suite.

🎥 Find out more about how the service works here: https://youtu.be/3Zm4sWImksI

01/12/2025

It’s World AIDS Day today, a day of awareness and education about HIV. 💙

Now, people living with HIV can access medication to help prevent the transmission and reduce their viral load making them undetectable.

Over the weekend, Dr Jess Daniel, Consultant, and Josh Anderson, patient advocate, spoke with local people at the Swindon & Wiltshire Pride HIV information event.

Thank you to everyone who came today to the hub for our Living with HIV World AIDS Day event, with guest speakers Josh Anderson and Dr Jess Daniels.

It was so important to hear about lived experience, the history as well as how to get tested amongst other things! We will share more on Monday but for now here are some of our committee members with Josh and Jess!