People in the NHS region covering Swindon are being encouraged to discover the wide range of healthcare services available from their local community pharmacy.
Community pharmacies are often the quickest and most convenient place to get advice and treatment for a range of common health concerns, helping people get the care they need without having to wait for a GP appointment.
Pharmacists are highly trained healthcare professionals, they are experts in medicines and can diagnose and advise on common illnesses, trained to recognise when symptoms require specialist care.
Mike Hewitson, Community Pharmacist, said, "Pharmacies are a vital part of the local community.
"We are accessible, approachable and available to everyone and many people are often surprised by the range of services available. We're here to help with much more than prescriptions.
"Whether you need advice on a minor illness, support to manage a long-term condition, help with your medicines or a health check, our team can often provide assistance quickly and conveniently.
"Ask Your Pharmacist Week is a great opportunity to remind people that pharmacies are an important part of the NHS and are here to help keep local communities healthy."
The role of community pharmacies has expanded significantly in recent years, with many now offering services including:
- NHS blood pressure checks for people aged 40 and over
- Oral contraception services
- Advice and support to stop smoking
- Vaccinations
- Medicines reviews and support for long-term conditions Healthy lifestyle advice and wellbeing support
Residents can also access treatment for a number of common conditions through the NHS Pharmacy First service.
This service allows those feeling under the weather from one of the seven conditions covered by the scheme to seek help from a community pharmacy without having to make an appointment with their GP.
Conditions that pharmacists can offer prescription medicine for are:
- Impetigo (aged one year and over)
- Infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
- Earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
- Sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
- Sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
- Urinary tract infections (women aged 16 to 64 years)
- Shingles (aged 18 years and over)
Peter Cope, Chief Pharmacist at NHS BSW, Dorset and Somerset Integrated Care Board Cluster, said, "Pharmacies across the region are on hand to help people stay well this winter, with pharmacists able to offer advice on a range of illnesses and treatment options, as well as prescribe medicine for a range of common health conditions.
“Providing accessible healthcare close to home, pharmacies do a lot more than just dispensing patients’ prescriptions.
"By making use of pharmacy services, people receive expert advice and treatment more quickly, while also helping to ensure GP appointments are available for those with more complex healthcare needs.
"This Ask Your Pharmacist Week, we encourage residents to think pharmacy first for common illnesses and health advice."
For more information about pharmacy services and to find their nearest pharmacy, people can visit www.nhs.uk/service-search/pharmacy/find-a-pharmacy
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