December 7th 2024.
When you're feeling under the weather, the last thing you want to do is spend hours trying to get an appointment with your GP. During flu season, it can feel like an impossible task. And even if you do manage to snag an appointment, it can be a struggle to fit it into your busy schedule. But don't worry, your local pharmacy has got you covered.
Instead of dealing with phone queues and waiting rooms, you can simply pop into your nearby pharmacy and get your illness sorted out quickly. Thanks to a recent NHS deal, over 10,000 community pharmacies are now able to offer walk-in consultations for a wider range of illnesses. This means you can save time and hassle by avoiding a trip to your doctor.
So, which illnesses can you have treated at a pharmacy? Well, pharmacists are equipped to handle a variety of minor ailments, including infected insect bites and stings, earaches, sore throats, sinusitis, shingles, impetigo, and urinary tract infections. However, there are a few age restrictions for certain conditions. For example, you must be over 12 to be treated for sinusitis, and only patients above the age of 5 can receive treatment for a sore throat. Earaches can only be addressed for those between the ages of 1 and 17, while infected insect bites can be treated for anyone over the age of 1. For impetigo and shingles, patients must be over 18, and for "uncomplicated" urinary tract infections, women between 16 and 64 can seek treatment.
This move is expected to free up a significant amount of time for NHS doctors, especially during the peak of flu season. Speaking of which, if you want to avoid your cold or flu from getting worse, we've got some helpful tips for you. We spoke to a pharmacist who shared six tips on how to recover from a cold quickly. However, if your symptoms persist for more than three weeks, suddenly worsen, or if you experience breathing difficulties or develop complications, it's important to see your GP.
Don't let illnesses slow you down. Your local pharmacy is here to help you get back to feeling your best in no time. So next time you're feeling unwell, skip the long wait for a GP appointment and head to your nearest pharmacy for efficient and convenient treatment.
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