There’s lots we can all do to help reduce burden on NHS and GPS
NHS ‘Self-care’ doesn’t mean you are on your own, says John Sargeant, of Community Pharmacy Derbyshire
WE all want to be healthy and stay healthy, so it’s upsetting when things don’t go according to plan.
You start to feel under the weather, feel uncomfortable and start to worry that this could be the start of something serious.
Usually, you will be faced with something that’s not going to last too long and will clear up on its own after a few days. However, what do you in the meantime?
Of late, the NHS is using terms such as ‘self-care,’ which means us taking care of our bodies, looking after ourselves and making sure we stay as healthy as we can.
It involves doing small, everyday things such as exercising, eating healthily, and trying to prevent and deal with any minor ailments.
With our NHS system under financial pressure with everincreasing demands of an ageing population, we can all try to relieve demand on GPS by looking after ourselves and thinking twice before we make a trip to our NHS services.
NHS England has examined what is spent on prescribed medicines which can otherwise be bought over the counter. Last year they found the NHS spent around £569 million on prescriptions for these medicines.
In a bid to potentially save the NHS annually about £136 million, guidance has recently been issued to GPS about 33 conditions – many of which are illnesses or conditions which will either resolve on their own or which have no long-term harmful effect on a person’s health. The list details guidance to GPS to remind the patient that they could, if they wish, go to their local pharmacy and buy a product rather than having it prescribed.
The list covers three main areas where simple changes to what we do can also lead to quicker/easier access to treatment.
After looking at the wide range of prescribed items some of the items were identified as being of “low clinical effectiveness”.
What this means is that there is a lack of robust evidence that they even actually work and make a difference to the condition they are supposed to treat. Items in this category include: probiotics, vitamins and minerals.
It was also noted that many conditions are considered as self-limiting, which means they do not require medical advice or treatment, as they will usually clear up on their own. The conditions in this category included: acute sore throat, cold sores, conjunctivitis, coughs and colds and nasal congestion, cradle cap (seborrhoeic dermatitis – infants), haemorrhoids, infant colic, mild cystitis. Symptomatic relief may make you feel better/more comfortable, but without making a significant difference to how long you have the problem.
However, some other conditions which are considered to be minor illnesses are also suitable for ‘self-care’ and treatment. Medicines to treat these conditions can easily be bought over the counter from a pharmacy and there is no need to see your doctor to obtain them.
There’s quite a range of these conditions: contact dermatitis, dandruff, diarrhoea (adults), dry eyes/sore tired eyes, earwax, excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis), head lice, indigestion and heartburn, infrequent constipation, infrequent migraine, insect bites and stings, mild acne, mild dry skin/sunburn, mild to moderate hay fever/ allergic rhinitis, minor burns and scalds, minor conditions associated with pain, discomfort and fever (such as aches and sprains, headache, period pain, back pain), mouth ulcers, nappy rash, oral thrush, prevention of dental caries, ringworm/athletes foot, teething/mild toothache, threadworms, travel sickness, warts and verrucae.
The above list looks quite daunting so why not ask your pharmacist and get some expert advice?
Most pharmacies have a private consultation room where they can offer confidential advice if you are not comfortable with talking at the counter. So, for quicker, easier and simple first aid treatment with no appointment necessary, consider asking your pharmacist for help.
They will ask you a few simple questions and then guide you through the various options for treatment (after taking into account the severity and range of symptoms you reported, what you have already tried and what prescribed medication you take); offer you a choice of over the counter medications which will help with your symptoms and make a difference to how you are feeling; provide information about your condition, reassurance and confidence that you will get better.
On occasion, it may be that the pharmacist picks up that you may be suffering from something that warrants further investigation and that isn’t suitable for self-care.
If the pharmacist thinks your condition may not be a ‘minor illness’ they will advise you what to do next – such as with shortness of breath accompanying a common cold; or perhaps you have an eye condition, but have a stabbing pain in the eye and are sensitive to light. These are examples of so called “red flags” and the pharmacist will be on the alert for them.
Lastly, you may be concerned about the cost of over the counter medication. Well the choices of medication you are offered will usually include a range of medicines at different prices depending on the brand.
As we all know, some brands are much more expensive than others even though they have the same chemical compounds. We are here to help and advise.