Come to pharmacy first for advice and treatment for common winter ailments
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough LPC is getting involved in this year’s Ask Your Pharmacist Week (4-11th November) by encouraging people to ‘come to pharmacy first’ for advice and treatment for common winter ailments.
As many as 60 million visits to GPs and A&E could be avoided each year if more people chose instead to self-care with the help of local pharmacies, according to the National Pharmacy Association.
Jody Butler, Chair of the LPC said:
“Lots of people go to their doctor for cough and cold treatments unnecessarily – your local pharmacy team can help you treat most conditions conveniently and effectively. Pharmacists are trained to know when to refer on to another healthcare professional, such as your GP, so you should feel confident to make community pharmacy your first port of call for common ailments.”
Your local pharmacy team can:
– Give tips about reducing your risk of catching colds, flu and other common ailments
– Advise on what medicines to stock at home, so that you can respond quickly to the onset of any winter ailments
– Supply treatments for the symptoms of colds and flu and many other common ailments
– Help people to quit smoking. Smoking tends to increase the severity of winter ailments like coughs and colds.
– Advise on when it’s the right choice to visit your GP or other healthcare provider. Your doctor appointment might be unnecessary if it is about self-limiting illnesses like sore throat or earache.
During Ask Your Pharmacist Week, thousands of pharmacies UK-wide are displaying ‘come to pharmacy first’ posters. You can find out more at www.askyourpharmacist.co.uk
