More than 3,000 people have attended minor injury units and the emergency department at Treliske in the last week and rising Covid infection rates in Cornwall continue to be above the national average.

This is the news from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Health and Care Partnership, where teams are asking people to keep up the support they’ve been giving by choosing the right services when they need urgent care and collecting patients as soon as they are ready to go home.

RCHT medical director Dr Allister Grant said: “We all know it’s been an exceptionally busy time for health and care services right across the country and our teams know that over the coming weeks and months we can expect high demand for our care, particularly as we wait to see how big an impact the Covid variants will have.”

The partnership said there were four ways people can reduce the pressure on services this winter:

• keeping as well as possible and seeking help early if they feel an existing condition is getting worse;

• choosing the right service when they need care themselves or someone else;

• helping get patients home as soon as they are medically fit by collecting them early in the day and if they can, supporting them at home for a short while;

• boost their immunity by getting Covid and flu vaccinations.

Allister added: “As well as the ways our population can help us, help you, we’ve also been busy doing everything we can to increase the capacity we have to care for those who need our services.

"We’ve recently opened a care hotel to offer intermediate facilities for people waiting for ongoing care or home support, and will shortly be opening a new reablement ward at the Royal Cornwall Hospital to get people back on their feet and to regain the confidence to continue to live independently at home.

“All this means we’re actively looking for new people to join our teams, too, not only in the NHS but in the wider care sector. If you’re considering a change of job or a new career for 2022, why not take a look at our websites to see the range of rewarding roles on offer.”

Details of vacancies can be found on NHS Jobs website www.jobs.nhs.uk or at Proud to Care Cornwall at www.proudtocarecornwall.org.uk/jobs/