Doctors' surgeries in Exeter, Mid and East Devon are opening their doors to more people this weekend as the health service struggles to cope with sustained pressure on emergency services.
Hundreds of extra GP appointments have been made available across the region to divert patients away from reporting to A&E, where record numbers have led to the worst performance in a decade.
A new scheme called Pharmacy First has also been launched to encourage people to seek help for minor illnesses from pharmacists who are highly trained to provide advice and dispense medicines.
Dafydd Jones, a GP and clinical lead at the Northern, Eastern and Western (NEW) Devon Clinical Commissioning Group, which plans and buys healthcare for residents, said pharmacies were a good first port of call for non-urgent treatment.
"There's no such thing as wasting your pharmacist's time," he said.
"If you have a bad cough, trouble breathing, a cold or sore throat pop down to your local pharmacy.. Early advice is the best advice.
"Pharmacists have longer opening hours than GP practices, you don't need an appointment to see one, and most have a consultation area where you can speak privately. They'll also tell you if they think you should see your GP."
Figures published by NHS England yesterday revealed that the "unprecedented pressure" experienced in the region's A&E departments before Christmas had continued into the new year.
Casualty units across Devon and Cornwall have reported that they are running at "full capacity" and have conceded that Government targets to treat, transfer or admit 95% patients within four hours have largely fallen by the wayside.
Extra GP sessions have been laid on this weekend when attendance is expected to surge once more.
In Exeter, East and Mid Devon extra health and social care staff have been brought in to work at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital to help make sure patients get the care and treatment they need, and that they are safely discharged or transferred from hospital at this busy time.
The hospital has also opened extra beds and additional GPs are working at the hospital, as well as at the Devon Doctors out-of-hours service.
About 80 extra GP appointments are available in Exeter this coming weekend as part of the Prime Minister's Challenge Fund.
In Plymouth funding has been boosted for the out-of-hours GP service to make sure GP home visits are made earlier in the day, meaning demand for the visits is staggered. This is expected to reduce demand by about 12 patients a day.
There are 96 additional GP appointments available in Plymouth every weekend, and extra community nursing and social care staff are currently at the acute trust site.
In North Devon additional therapists have been brought into North Devon District Hospital, along with more staff to help to discharge patients from hospital.
Extra beds have opened at the acute hospital in Barnstaple, as well as at North Devon's community hospitals. More community nurses have also been put on the rota and some GP surgeries opened on Saturday.
Yesterday, South Devon and Torbay Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said extra staff had been brought in and 21 more beds have been opened.
As part of an "urgent need to create extra capacity," nine beds at Bovey Tracey have been temporarily moved to Newton Abbot, so that the greatest possible number of beds can be provided with the staff available.
Health bosses said there is lots of help available to people who fall ill but do not need to attend an A&E department.• NHS 111 – for non-emergency health needs, which operates all day, every day, as well as help to find services. Go to www.nhs.uk or call 111.• NHS minor injuries unit (MIU) - for treatment of minor illnesses or injuries, without an appointment. For details of your nearest MIU, go to www.nhs.uk. The Plymouth MIU is based at the Cumberland Centre in Devonport, near Plymouth Albion rugby club.
