Extra conditions added to Minor Ailments Scheme

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If you are suffering from a cough, cold or sore throat sometimes the help you need is on your doorstep. Rather than having to book an appointment at your GP surgery at a time that is not always convenient; you can pop into the nearest chemist to be assessed by a pharmacist.

Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Primary Care Trust successfully rolled out the Minor Ailments Scheme back in 2004.  Patients are actively encouraged to seek advice on medicines and healthy lifestyles from a pharmacist rather than attending the busy GP surgeries. Those people who are eligible for free prescriptions are still able to get the medicines they need for free of charge without having to get a prescription from their GP.

You can now be assessed, get advice and treatment with over the counter medicines by a highly qualified pharmacist on the following 18 conditions:

• Allergies/ Bites amp; Stings
• Athletes Foot
• Cold Sores
• Conjunctivitis
• Constipation
• Cough/Cold/Sneezing
• Diarrhoea
• Hay Fever
• Head Lice
• Headache/ Temperature/ Fever
• Indigestion/ Heartburn
• Mouth Ulcers
• Nappy Rash
• Nasal Congestion
• Sore Throat
• Teething
• Threadworms
• Vaginal Thrush

Any patient registered with a GP practice may take part in the scheme if they are suffering from one of the conditions stated. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by their parent/guardian.

The new passbook allows six visits to the pharmacists who monitor patient’s minor ailment conditions. If a patient attends twice in same month with same condition the pharmacist will refer the patient back to the GP.

Vivienne Ben David, Head of Primary Care at Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Primary Care Trust said: “Pharmacists are highly qualified healthcare professionals and should be a patient’s first point of call with any minor ailment before visiting the GP. They can offer all types of advice on the most suitable medicines for your condition, as well as stop smoking and sexual health advice all in the strictest of confidence.

“In the past people who were eligible to get free medicines had to visit the GP to get a prescription. The passbook means that this no longer has to be the case. With the passbook patients can get free consultations at their closest pharmacy at a time that is convenient to them. No appointment is necessary you can just drop into the pharmacy and discuss your concerns. Of course the pharmacist will suggest you consult a GP if in their opinion they think it is advisable.”

Ask your GP surgery today about the Minor Ailments Scheme.