Extraordinary pressure on Hywel Dda UHB services this weekend | Pwysau eithriadol ar wasanaethau BIP Hywel Dda y penwythnos hwn

It has been an extraordinary weekend for our health service, with critical pressures being felt across all of our hospital A&E departments, GPs and our community services.

In the interest of patient safety, Hywel Dda University Health Board has made the decision to cancel inpatient operations today (Monday 6 January 2020) at Bronglais, Glangwili, Prince Philip and Withybush hospitals.

All outpatient appointments are continuing as normal.

We are contacting patients affected directly so please attend as planned if you do not hear from us. Otherwise, please do not contact our appointments or outpatient teams unless absolutely necessary as they are very busy at this time.

If you are unwell, please be aware that you may experience long waits for a GP appointment and at our A&E or MIU units at this time, for which we wholeheartedly apologise. If there are other services you can use, such as community pharmacies, please do so.

Please do not attend an emergency department or GP practice if you have symptoms of an infectious illness such diarrhoea, vomiting, fever or symptoms of flu. Flu and norovirus are circulating and for the majority of people these can be treated safely at home. However, if you are vulnerable (very young, frail elderly, living with long term or chronic conditions) or your symptoms worsen please seek medical advice.

Dr Philip Kloer, Medical Director at Hywel Dda UHB, said: “First I’d like to thank all my NHS colleagues across our hospitals, primary care and in the community for their commitment to our patients at this highly pressurised time.

“This weekend saw our hospitals at a level of escalation not seen before and it is in the interest of patient safety that we have postponed planned operations today. I understand this may be frustrating for those who have waited for their operation and I apologise for this.

“In response to the pressures being experienced today, we are redeploying staff to areas where additional support is needed, including contacting staff currently on leave. We are also working with our colleagues in the local authority and the families of those well enough to be discharged to ensure our medically well can go home or to an appropriate care setting as soon as possible.”

If you or a loved one are unwell or injured, you can help as there may be other services that can provide the care that you need:

• Online symptom checker: Check your symptoms online at NHS Direct Wales here https://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/selfassessments/

• Self care – A lot of illnesses can be treated in your home by using over the counter medicine and getting plenty of rest. Keep a well prepared first aid kit at home: Bandages, plasters, thermometer, antiseptic, eyewash solution, sterile dressings, medical tape, and tweezers.

Pharmacies – your local pharmacy can to do much more than dispense medication. From treatment for low level injuries such as sprains and strains to free confidential NHS advice and treatment for a range of common ailments such as back pain, eye infections to chicken pox, your pharmacist can help. Find out what services are available at your local pharmacy by visiting www.hywelddahb.wales.nhs.uk/communitypharmacy

Pwysau eithriadol ar wasanaethau BIP Hywel Dda y penwythnos hwn

Mae wedi bod yn benwythnos eithriadol i’r gwasanaeth iechyd, â phwysau enfawr i’w deimlo ar draws adrannau brys ein holl ysbytai, meddygfeydd a gwasanaethau cymunedol.

Er budd diogelwch cleifion, mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda wedi penderfynu canslo llawdriniaethau cleifion mewnol heddiw (dydd Llun 6 Ionawr 2020) yn ysbytai Bronglais, Glangwili, Tywysog Philip a Llwynhelyg.

Mae holl apwyntiadau cleifion allanol yn parhau fel arfer.

Rydym yn cysylltu â’r cleifion hynny sydd wedi’u heffeithio’n uniongyrchol, felly os na fyddwch wedi clywed gennym, mynychwch fel y cynlluniwyd. Fel arall, gofynnwn i chi beidio â chysylltu â’n timau apwyntiadau na’n gwasanaethau cleifion allanol oni bai bod hynny’n hollol angenrheidiol, gan eu bod yn brysur iawn ar hyn o bryd.

Os ydych yn sâl, byddwch yn ymwybodol y gallech aros yn hir am apwyntiad Meddyg Teulu ac yn ein Hadrannau Achosion Brys a’n Hunedau Mân Anafiadau, ac rydym yn ymddiheuro’n fawr am hyn. Os oes gwasanaethau eraill y gallech eu defnyddio, megis fferyllfa, gofynnwn i chi wneud hynny.

Peidiwch â mynychu adran achosion brys na meddygfa os oes gennych symptomau salwch heintus fel dolur rhydd, chwydu, gwres neu symptomau ffliw. Mae ffliw a norofeirws ar hyd y lle ac i’r mwyafrif o bobl gellir trin y rhain yn ddiogel gartref. Fodd bynnag, os ydych yn agored i niwed (yn ifanc iawn, yn hen ac yn eiddil, yn byw â chyflwr hir-dymor neu gyflwr cronig) neu os ydy’ch symptomau’n gwaethygu, ceisiwch gyngor meddygol.

Meddai Dr Philip Kloer, Cyfarwyddwr Meddygol BIP Hywel Dda: “Yn gyntaf, rwyf am ddiolch i’m cydweithwyr yn y gwasanaeth iechyd ar draws ein hysbytai, gofal sylfaenol ac yn y gymuned am eu hymrwymiad i’n cleifion ar yr adeg hon o bwysau mawr.

“Y penwythnos hwn gwelodd ein hysbytai lefel o uwchgyfeirio na welwyd o’r blaen, ac er budd diogelwch cleifion yr ydym wedi gohirio llawdriniaethau heddiw. Deallaf y gallai hyn fod yn rhwystredig i’r rhai sydd wedi aros am eu llawdriniaeth, ac ymddiheuraf am hyn.

“Mewn ymateb i’r pwysau a brofir heddiw, rydym yn adleoli staff i adrannau lle mae angen cymorth ychwanegol, gan gynnwys cysylltu â staff sydd ar wyliau ar hyn o bryd. Rydym hefyd yn gweithio gyda chydweithwyr awdurdod lleol a theuluoedd yr unigolion hynny sy’n ddigon da i gael eu rhyddhau o ysbyty, er mwyn sicrhau bod y rhai sy’n iawn yn feddygol yn medru mynd gartref neu i leoliad gofal priodolcyn gynted â phosib.”

Os ydych chi neu rywun annwyl i chi yn sâl neu wedi anafu, mae gwasanaethau eraill ar gael a allai ddarparu’r gofal sydd ei hangen arnoch:

• Gwiriowr symptomau ar-lein: Gwiriwch ein symptomau ar-lein yn Galw Iechyd Cymru https://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/selfassessments/
•  Hunan-ofal – Gellir trin nifer o anhwylderau yn eich cartref trwy ddefnyddio meddyginiaethau tros y cownter a gorffwys. Cadwch becyn cymorth cyntaf llawn yn eich cartref: Rhwymynnau, plasteri, thermomedr, antiseptig, toddiant golchi llygad, gorchuddion di-haint, tâp meddygol a phliciwr.
• Fferyllfeydd – gall eich fferyllfa wneud llawer mwy na gweinyddu meddyginiaeth. Gall eich fferyllydd drin anafiadau lefel isel megis ysigiadau a straenau i gyngor cyfrinachol am ddim ar gyfer ystod o anhwylderau cyffredin megis poen cefn, heintiau llygad a brech yr ieir. I weld pa wasanaethau sydd ar gael mewn fferyllfa sy’n lleol i chi, trowch at www.bihyweldda.wales.nhs.uk/fferyllfagymunedol