Pharmacists can help with range of health matters

IN November 2015 the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Wales claimed that we need 400 more GPs in Wales by 2020 to avert a crisis in our NHS.

We are often told about the crisis facing GPs. But did you know that many problems can be resolved without the need for a GP appointment?

Your local pharmacist is there to provide advice and support for a number of common complaints and in some cases, they can even provide treatment on prescription or free of charge. Here’s a round-up of just some of the services on offer across Wales.

Choose Pharmacy This service has been developed to help relieve pressure on GPs. It gives pharmacists access to a summary of a patient’s GP record, provided the patient gives their consent.

This improves patient safety and allows pharmacists to treat minor conditions through the Common Ailments Service.

This allows you to see your pharmacist for a long list of common conditions, including hay fever and conjunctivitis, and you will receive advice and any treatment free of charge.

It is available in more than 220 pharmacies in and the Welsh Government has made funding available to roll it out to all pharmacies in Wales by 2020.

Stop Smoking Services All pharmacists are able to provide advice and support to those wishing to stop smoking, and in many pharmacies quitting aids such as nicotine patches, lozenges and chewing gum are available free of charge.

Triage and Treat If you live in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion or Pembrokeshire, or are even visiting the area on holiday, you can access the triage and treat service.

It is available in a number of pharmacies across the west Wales area, offering treatment for a range of low level injuries potentially saving you a trip to A&E or the doctor.

The list of injuries that they can treat includes minor cuts and wounds; sprains and strains; eye complaints (eg sand in the eye); removal of items from the skin (eg splinters or shell fragments); minor burns including sunburn.

You can get advice on managing the above injuries from any pharmacy, but this service enables pharmacists to offer additional onsite treatment.

Emergency Contraception You don’t need to see your GP for emergency contraception (often referred to as the morning after pill).

It is available to buy over the counter from most pharmacies, and many pharmacists are also registered to provide it free of charge following a short consultation.

With the NHS under enormous pressure, think about visiting your local pharmacist first