NHS pushes ‘self care’ to ease A&E pressures

NHS Choose Well campaign

NHS teams are pulling together to promote Self Care Week to ease pressures on A&E and 999 services. The number of people using emergency services is continuing to rise with A&E attendances up by 13 per cent so far this year on last year.

Self Care Week runs from 15 -21 November, and NHS teams want to promote the message that many common complaints, such as back-ache, minor sports injuries, stomach upsets, coughs and colds, flu and sore throats can be treated by having a well-stocked medicine cabinet.

Rochdale borough GPs are calling on people to support their local emergency services, by stopping and thinking about whether they really need to go to A&E or dial 999 for common complaints.

Dr Nick Dawes said: “The rising numbers of people going to A&E means that people with serious conditions, such as heart attacks, strokes, breathing difficulties and serious injuries, are having to wait longer than necessary. Figures show that one out of every four people who go to A&E don’t need to be there.

“We are working with our local chemists in the Rochdale borough to raise awareness of the fact that just having a few basic essentials in your cupboard can help to treat the symptoms for many common illnesses. Paracetamol and Ibuprofen for example can help with pain relief for anything from back-ache, to a sprained knee or stomach ache. And your local chemist can give you expert advice and treatment, without having to go to A&E or dial 999.”

Local pharmacist Aneet Kapoor from Oldham Road pharmacy said: “We see ourselves as part of the NHS team. Local chemists can do so much more these days than just give out prescriptions. Pharmacists are highly-qualified, with in-depth knowledge about prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Most high-street chemists have a confidential consulting room and we know about other local NHS services such as Walk-in Centres.”

Choose Well is a North West wide communications campaign that aims to get people to use the right NHS service. “We are fully behind the Choose Well campaign,” added Aneet. “We have to make sure that A&E and 999 services are free to treat people with life-threatening and serious conditions, such as heart-attacks, strokes and serious accidents. If we can get more people to self care, this will go some way to easing the pressures on our emergency services.”