NHS South Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is encouraging people to use their local chemist for information and advice on minor ailments or illnesses over the festive period.

Community pharmacies are the ideal place to visit to get treatment for common winter complaints such as coughs, colds, upset stomach and headaches.

The CCG is encouraging people across the South of the county to make the local pharmacy their first port of call for self-care, rather than their GP or A&E department.

With pressure continually bearing down on accident and emergency and hospital resources, NHS South Cheshire CCG is constantly looking at ways to promote other NHS community based services that can be accessed to gain advice and treatment for minor health concerns.

Dr Andrew Wilson is GP Chair of the CCG. He said: “Your local pharmacist is an ideal place to go for advice and treatment of minor illnesses and ailments. By encouraging this, we aim to relieve some of the pressure felt by other areas of the health service that are being used inappropriately, such as A&E.

“We hope that over the festive season people will make wise choices over the necessary level of treatment, instead of going straight to the Doctor or hospital, when it isn’t really necessary.”

To find a list of pharmacies near to you, visit our website: http://www.southcheshireccg.nhs.uk/publication/publication/categories/59