Is it an emergency?
Posted on
in Ipswich and East Suffolk News, North East Essex News, West Suffolk News
Suffering from sinusitis? Struggling with a sore throat? Is your little one complaining of earache?
Think ‘pharmacy first’.
That’s the message being communicated via a new video, released today by the NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB).
The Pharmacy First service, which launched earlier this year, enables pharmacists to offer NHS consultations, treatment and advice, in private, for seven common conditions, including:
- Earache (for those aged one to 17)
- Impetigo (for those aged one year and over)
- Infected insect bites (for those aged one year and over)
- Shingles (for those aged 18 and over)
- Sinusitis (for those aged 12 and over)
- Sore throat (for those aged five and over)
- Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (for women aged 16-64)
Patients can pop into their local pharmacy, often with no need for an appointment, and will be supplied an NHS appropriate prescription medicine if needed.
Should the pharmacy team be unable to help, then you will be directed to another healthcare professional as appropriate.
Over 95% of pharmacies in Suffolk and north east Essex now offer the service and have provided over 10,000 consultations since its launch.
Lucy Archer, who leads on pharmacy, optometry and vaccination commissioning for the ICB said: “It’s great to see our local pharmacy teams featured in this video. Our pharmacists are highly trained clinicians who offer an excellent service for patients in our area.
“This new initiative means that patients can turn to pharmacists for help with more conditions than ever before.
“I would urge our communities to make good use of this excellent resource to get the help they need sooner, and from the right place.”
Patients can visit the NHS website to find out more and locate their nearest pharmacy.