AS the season of flu, coughs and colds kicks in, one elderly couple have taken time to set out a plan to help keep them safe and well over winter.

Well-stocked cupboards, torch batteries and flu jabs all feature on Peter and Margaret Biggs’ personal winter plan this year.

The couple from Kennington have taken on board the advice from health chiefs who are looking to alleviate some of the pressure placed on hospitals and A&E rooms over winter by encouraging the public to take some basic but effective precautions.

So, in the weeks leading up to winter, Mr and Mrs Biggs have made sure they and their home are winter-ready.

Mrs Biggs, 72, a retired community nurse, said: “We feel like we’ve done everything we can to prepare for winter.

“We’d seen a lot of publicity about it this year on the TV and in the news.

“It’s really about how best you can help yourself and being aware of what can happen or go wrong over winter - we are getting older, we are in our 70s, and things can go wrong.”

Health chiefs are hoping that by making a personal winter plan, residents could reduce the chances of having to be admitted to hospital.

According to Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, winter plans should include things like having a free flu vaccination if you are in an ‘at-risk’ group, getting repeat prescriptions in plenty of time, finding out where local minor injuries unit are, seeking advice from pharmacists, having a well-stocked medicine cabinet, stocking up on winter food supplies and getting your boiler serviced.

Mrs Biggs, a grandmother-of-four, said: “We’ve made sure we’ve had the boiler checked, we have got plenty of warm clothes and blankets if something did go wrong with the heating.

"We’ve got torches which are always kept in the same place so if we had a problem with the electrics you know where it is.”

Last winter Oxfordshire was one of the worse areas in the country affected by the flu virus with a Public Health England report showing in January that the rate of patients with flu-like symptoms in Oxfordshire was double the national average, placing an added strain on hospitals.

As part of their winter plan, the Biggs have made arrangements to both have their vaccination, as well as making sure their other medicines are all in order.

Mrs Biggs added: “We have a box full of medicines, where we keep all the tablets and my prescriptions, and it’s important to know the most appropriate place to go for help – A&E is not always the right place.”

On top of the extensive precautions to help keep themselves safe, the couple were also keen to highlight the importance of checking on neighbours, friends and relatives, who may not be able to take the necessary precautions on their own, while also urging people who may be isolated to ask for help if needed.

Mrs Biggs said: “We’re very lucky because there’s a good community here, but we know that not everyone has that.

“People need to think who would they ring if they can’t get out, or if they needed help.

“If you can’t get out you must ask for help – who is your first port of call?”

Last year the county’s acute hospitals issued a ‘black alert’ on three separate occasions as A&E rooms struggled to deal with a heavy flu season, poor weather and a lack of staff.

Hundreds of elective operations were cancelled to free up bed space with health chiefs admitting at the time the service was ‘close to the edge’.

In response, this year Oxfordshire became one of the first areas in the country to appoint a winter director, Tehmeena Ajmal, to oversee social services, GPs, hospitals, ambulance services, mental health services and also some charities.

Ms Ajmal said: “We would like everyone in Oxfordshire to have a winter plan for themselves and their family, so that they know what they can do to keep as well as possible; what they can do if they start to get unwell; and how they can look after older family members, friends or neighbours who might need some help.

“Winter illnesses can be headed off by taking action early, so making sure you are stocked up at home with basic cold and flu medication, or you can visit your local pharmacist for advice and the right medicines and NHS 111 will provide advice on the most appropriate place to go for treatment if you don’t feel well.

“Obviously there will be times when people become seriously unwell and hospital is the right place for them to be, but by taking a few simple steps and putting together your winter plan you may help yourself avoid admission to hospital.”