Your local chemist does
much more than just
dispense your antibiotics
Treatment advice for flu
Pharmacists are on hand to give
youtreatment advice for flu, as
wellastips on how to prevent it.
Plus,some pharmacies, such as
Boots, Superdrug and Lloyds
Pharmacy offer flu
vaccinations too.4
12
things you didn’t
know about...
YOUR HELPFUL
PHARMACY
W
hat do you visit
your pharmacist
for? To collect a
prescription? Buy
plasters? Well, they offer
much more and can help
with anything from advice
on flu treatment to a
hearing check – ideal
when you can’t get a
doctor’s appointment.NHS England has now
created a new campaign,
Help Us, Help You to raise
awareness that community
pharmacists are qualified
healthcare professionals
who can help with a range
of minor health concerns.
Read on to see how your
pharmacy can come to
your (first) aid...Advice for minor
health upsets
Got a sore throat or a
troublesome tummy? Skip the
surgery and make your local
pharmacist your first port of
call. ‘They can provide clinical
advice on minor illnesses, such
as coughs, colds, sore throats,
tummy issues, as well as aches
and pains,’ explains pharmacist
Abraham Khodadi, who has
partnered with NHS England on
the campaign. ‘Pharmacists train
for five years in medicines and
health conditions so if symptoms
suggest it’s serious, they know
to get you the help you need.’1
Guidance on small
cuts and bruises
We spend more time outdoors in
summer, with bare arms and legs, which
leads to more minor wounds. ‘Pharmacists
can show you how to wash cuts, suggest
an appropriate antiseptic and help you
dress the wound,’ says Abraham.2
Over-the-counter
medicines
Need relief for a mosquito bite?
Trying to pick a remedy from the
rows of products can be hard. Ask
your pharmacist for the best form
of treatment – for example a
crotamiton cream, hydrocortisone
ointment or antihistamine tablet.3
Check your inhaler
technique
Are you one of the 5.4 million people
in the UK currently receiving treatment
for asthma? Experts say more than a
million people could be at risk
of a life-threateningasthma
attack, as they don’tget
their inhaler technique
checked. Your pharmacist
can advise you onthe
correct way to useit to
ensure you’re getting
the best care.