DEMAND on local hospital emergency departments, the ambulance service and GPs across Worcestershire continues to increase.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire health bosses are urging the public that if they need medical help, but it is not a life-threatening emergency, there are options available that can help.

Anyone with non life threatening issues should call NHS 111 and be signposted to the next step and only ring 999 in an emergency.

Mike Hallissey, chief medical officer at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: “As the number of Covid-19 cases in our local community continue to rise, we are also seeing an increasing number of patients admitted to our hospitals with Covid-19.

"We are seeing younger patients in our beds, around half of whom have not received a Covid-19 vaccination.

“Restrictions outside of our hospitals may have been lifted, but I would continue to urge people to take every precaution to protect themselves and others – in particular by getting vaccinated.

“As well as seeing more patients with Covid-19, we are seeing more patients attending our emergency departments each day, with some patients attending with minor ailments, which could be dealt with at a pharmacy, through their GP, or at one of Worcestershire’s Minor Injuries Units.

“As demand for our urgent care services also grows, teams across our Emergency Departments and wider hospitals are working incredibly hard to ensure patients receive appropriate and safe care.

"We are doing everything we can to care for those unwell patients to make sure they get the help they need, as soon as they need it and as safely as possible.”