Parents and carers in Swindon now have access to a new online tool designed to provide trusted health advice for children as local NHS services prepare for a period of high demand. Launched on 1 April 2026 by the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, the resource aims to help families manage childhood illnesses at home or direct them to the most appropriate care.
The Healthier Together website and app features a traffic light system reviewed by local paediatricians, GPs, and clinicians. The guide uses green, amber, and red categories to help parents determine the severity of a child’s symptoms. Green indicates low risk that can be managed at home, amber suggests seeking advice from a GP or the NHS 111 service, and red indicates an emergency requiring a call to 999 or a visit to an emergency department.
The introduction of this tool comes ahead of an expected period of pressure on the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Health services across the region are preparing for a six-day strike by resident doctors starting at 7am on Tuesday 7 April and continuing until 6:59am on Monday 13 April, as well as the upcoming Easter holiday period.
Dr Barry Coakley, a GP and Deputy Chief Medical Officer for the Integrated Care Board, is urging the public to use the new resource to help preserve hospital capacity for those with the most urgent needs. He noted that for many minor conditions, families should look towards self-care, use the online NHS 111 service, or visit local community pharmacies.
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