Two new campaigns are driving people towards community pharmacy for common ailments in an attempt to reduce winter pressures on the NHS. Charlotte Rixon reports

Pharmacy Voice and the PAGB have launched ‘Treat Yourself Better with Pharmacist Advice’, a campaign encouraging people to self-treat their winter ailments with pharmacy support rather than visiting a GP or A&E department. Meanwhile, ‘Feeling under the weather’ – a new initiative from NHS England, supported by Pharmacy Voice – is urging people over 60 to seek health advice at their local pharmacy in the early stages of illness to reduce their risk of requiring urgent care later on.

GP vs pharmacy

Research commissioned for ‘Treat Yourself Better’ revealed that six million UK adults would visit their doctor for winter ailments, while just one in five use their local community pharmacy for advice on managing coughs, colds and flu. Flu is the winter ailment most likely to drive people to a GP or A&E, with nearly half of all sufferers making the trip to request antibiotics.

However, those who did seek advice at a pharmacy waited less than five minutes on average to speak to a pharmacist, compared with a three and a half day wait to see a GP. In addition, three-quarters of people surveyed by Pharmacy Voice for ‘Feeling under the weather’ said they would prefer to receive care close to their homes, suggesting that they would choose to visit their local pharmacy if they knew that expert health advice was available.

Skills and expertise

“We know that community pharmacy teams have the skills and expertise to help the vast majority of people manage their symptoms effectively,” said Rob Darracott, Pharmacy Voice chief executive. “Community pharmacies should be the first port of call for winter ailments as by being so we can free up GP appointments and A&E departments for people who really need these services during the winter months.” 

Pharmacy Voice and PAGB have updated their series of Self Care Advice guides to help pharmacy teams deliver consistent advice to customers, while the public can find a symptom checker and self-care videos on the website: www.treatyourselfbetter.co.uk

A communications toolkit and marketing materials for pharmacies will be available from NHS England soon.