The campaign created by Sutton Clinical Commissioing Group urges older people to seek early advice from their community pharmacist for minor winter illnesses. It is targeted at the over 60s, and also at those aged 45 and above who look after an older friend, neighbour or relative.
"If you’re over 60 a minor illness can get worse quickly. The campaign encourages people with a cough, a cold or sore throat, to pop down to their local pharmacy for easy access to health advice. It also asks those caring for or visiting an older friend or relative to get early advice from their local pharmacist or from www.nhs.uk/asap if they are feeling under the weather," said a spokesperson.
"People often don’t seek advice for their wheezes, coughs and sneezes because they don’t think it’s serious enough, or they don’t want to waste their pharmacist’s time. But no problem is too small for your local pharmacist, who is a highly trained and trusted source of health advice.
"Raj Patel, local pharmacist said: “There are many things people can do to self-treat when suffering from winter ailments, such as a cold, cough or flu which your local pharmacist can help advise you on. It’s also important to drink lots of fluids, get plenty of rest, take a painkiller, if appropriate, which will ease aches, pains and also help to reduce a temperature. Always speak to your pharmacist who will give you the best possible advice to treat the range of symptoms you may have.
“Pharmacies provide a trusted source of health and wellbeing advice for all common winter ailments and are widely accessible. There are 42 community pharmacies in Sutton, so you will never be more than a few minutes away from your nearest one."