Ask your pharmacist and get healthy help on the High Street

Thursday, 11 November 2010 14:21

In national Ask Your Pharmacist Week (8 – 14 November 2010) NHS Hertfordshire has launched the next phase of its Let’s Use It Right campaign to encourage people to love their pharmacist and make them their first port of call for minor illnesses.

A pharmacy can be found on almost every High Street or shopping parade. In fact, there are more than 230 pharmacies across the county. Many are open late and at weekends. And the best bit – you don’t need an appointment, making a pharmacist a more convenient alternative to seeing a GP.

Heather Gray, Head of Pharmacy and Medicines Management at NHS Hertfordshire said: “Pharmacies are at the heart of local communities and are not just there to dispense prescriptions. Pharmacists are highly trained and can provide expert and confidential advice and treatment for many of the minor illnesses and ailments that we know people currently go to their GP or A&E with.

“A quick chat with a pharmacist can help you handle lots of common health problems, like coughs and colds, aches and pains, hay fever and skin conditions. And most pharmacies also have a consultation room if you need to have a more private discussion. Pharmacists can also support you to give up smoking and, if you’re a young person, they can give you a Chlamydia test.

“By going to your pharmacist instead of a GP or A&E, you can get help for your symptoms much more quickly and you will also free up other NHS services for those people who have more serious conditions.”

To find your nearest pharmacy, visit www.nhs.uk or text ‘pharmacy’ to 64746 to receive a free text with the name, address and telephone number of your three nearest pharmacies.