Get ready for the summer holidays

In the run up to the school summer holidays, the NHS is giving advice on how to self-care for some of the common summer health complaints that people face.

Complaints such as coughs and colds, stomach upsets, aches, sprains and strains, insect bites and allergies can be treated without the need for a GP appointment with some basic tips and medicine cabinet essentials. An information leaflet on self-treating these conditions is available from high-street pharmacies. There is also an on-line interactive First-Aid kit with information about what to keep in your kit and how to use it.

Dr Chris Duffy, Clinical Chairman, Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group said: “Some of the symptoms that accompany these common complaints are unpleasant, but will begin to improve by themselves after a few days. We know that people are sometimes confused about how long symptoms for things such as stomach upsets will last, and what they need to look out for.

“We are hoping that by promoting the different sources of useful information, we can encourage more people to self-treat for these conditions.”

Pharmacy staff are working with the local NHS to help people to use the right health service first time, as part of the Choose Well campaign. Health leaders believe more than 51 million people a year who visit their GP with common complaints could either care for themselves or visiting their local high-street pharmacy for help.