| Godd evening, Those of us who have had occasion to find ourselves using the services of the NHS will know what an amazing organisation it is. While we moan from time to time about waiting lists, hospital food etc, we are extraordinarily lucky to be able to get treatment for what ails us at the point of need. So we all want to ensure that we protect it as we start another lockdown period. We know that our hospitals are under huge pressure at the moment. And this is not just the normal winter pressure because in truth that hasn’t really started yet. Hundreds of beds across Lancashire are taken up with patients suffering from Covid, leaving fewer beds for others. But there are beds for other people, so if you are worried about some aspect of your health, take the medics’ advice and get it sorted now, starting with a GP appointment. None of us wants to put extra strain on the NHS at the moment, but if we don’t take action on symptoms, we may well find that we are causing greater problems for the service further down the road. Send me a note with your views at [email protected] I would like to ask if those of you who do not yet subscribe to www.lep.co.uk or www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk would consider taking out a digital subscription. By doing so, you are supporting local, community journalism and helping to ensure that it survives and thrives. A subscription gives you unlimited access to the site, for all the news and sport you need - and more, including our newly-launched Puzzles section. You can subscribe here: https://www.lep.co.uk/subscriptions for the Post and here https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/subscriptions for the Gazette. And thank you. Gillian Parkinson Editor | 