Today I visited Boots Pharmacy in the Market Place in Easingwold to learn more about how North Yorkshire Community Pharmacies are supporting the NHS England “Stay Well Pharmacy” campaign. On average 210,000 prescriptions are dispensed every month in the Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group area. This is a large number of people visiting their local community pharmacy given the area’s population is 331,000. Local Community Pharmacies like the Boots in Easingwold are ideally placed to treat many minor ailments as it is possible to see a skilled health professional that can advise on common problems such as coughs, colds, aches and pains and treating minor injuries and infections.
The national campaign running from 12th February to 31st March 2018, encourages people, especially parents and carers of children under the age of five, to visit their local pharmacy team first for clinical advice for minor health concerns such as sore throats, coughs, colds, tummy troubles, teething and aches and pains.
Community pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are qualified healthcare professionals who are the right people to see if you need clinical advice or over the counter medicines to help safely manage a wide range of minor health concerns.
So, if you're suffering from a minor illness, injury or condition and need help, it makes sense to try your local pharmacy first.