Rochdale Residents urged to help NHS through ‘toughest winter’

Reporter: Aisha Iqbal
Date online: 02 November 2009

The Borough’s top clinicians are appealing for help from the public to tackle ‘winter vomiting disease’ so health teams can stay focused on swine flu.

Norovirus, historically known as 'winter vomiting disease', causes sickness and diarrhoea. 

Due to the contagious nature of the virus, top clinicians are asking people to make sure that they stop the spread of norovirus with good hygiene routines, such as washing hands with soap and water and cleaning hard surfaces thoroughly. 

The NHS says this is particularly important as swine flu threatens to put enormous pressures on services. If it reaches a hospital then strict infection control measures mean that wards may have to temporarily stop admitting patients, putting extra pressure on staff. 

Dr Sheila Will, Director of Public Health at NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale said: “The best advice to protect you and your family from norovirus is to make sure you wash your hands regularly and thoroughly, particularly before eating. And this is an important message that parents can teach their children, as it will not only stop the spread of norovirus; it will prevent the spread of swine flu. Using a good household cleaning product on hard surfaces at home will also help.

“We would ask anyone who has norovirus infection not to call 999, not to go to an Accident and Emergency department, and not to visit their GP surgery as this risks spreading it to other people, patients and NHS staff. Your GP or local pharmacist will be able to give you advice over the phone, or you can contact NHS Direct for advice.”

Dr Will said there are real concerns that an outbreak of norovirus, along with swine flu, could mean problems for NHS services and delays for patients.

She added: “The NHS is currently undertaking a massive vaccination campaign to help protect people against swine flu. Even so, the combination of swine flu, the normal pressure at this time of year and norovirus could make this the toughest winter for us in recent times. People can help by following simple hygiene rules, so that health teams can focus on helping the sickest and most vulnerable.”

Her comments are supported by Dr Ruth Jameson, Medical Director at The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust: “There is no need for people with norovirus to visit GP surgeries or hospital A & E departments where they would risk infecting more vulnerable patients. It is a self-limiting illness and the vast majority of people, including older people, will recover in a matter of days without any specific treatment other than rest and the taking of liquids to replace lost fluids.

“It is important for people with viral gastro-intestinal illnesses, such as norovirus infection, to stay away from work and school until they have been symptom-free for at least 48 hours. It is also extremely important that people with symptoms should not visit friends or relatives in hospitals or in residential care homes.”