knowing which part of the NHS is the right one to support us when we feel unwell is key to helping us stay healthy – so it’s important that you seek the right care as soon as possible.
To help you find the right next step, you can access excellent support and resources through the NHS website, nhs.uk. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the NHS 111 service is here to help. Just call 111 or drop by 111.nhs.uk via a link on the NHS app to answer questions about your symptoms with a trained advisor.
For example, NHS 111 can then refer you to a local service that can assist you; connecting you to a nurse, pharmacy or general practitioner; and refer you to A&E.
Make use of your local pharmacy
An important resource in times of minor illness and ailments is your local community pharmacy. Qualified and highly experienced health professionals are on hand to provide clinical advice and over-the-counter medications for a range of issues, including pain and stomach problems. In addition, pharmacies are often open late and on weekends and you do not need to make an appointment.
In case of more serious conditions, please contact your doctor
For the treatment of more serious conditions, please contact your GP practice. A variety of healthcare providers are available to provide advice and treat conditions, depending on your medical needs. In addition, GP practice receptionists have received the training to ensure you are referred to the most relevant professional – whether that be a GP, nurse or physiotherapist. Most surgeries now offer both telephone consultations and face-to-face appointments.
Here, two pharmacists share how they look after their communities and why local pharmacies are helpful and convenient for Londoners who need quick medical advice.
Raj Matharu, Superintendent Pharmacist, West Wickham
Last year, when a woman walked into her local pharmacy complaining of a heavy head and pounding heart, pharmacist Raj Matharu took her to the doctor’s office to measure her blood pressure: it was very high.
“I sent her straight to the emergency room because this was a Saturday,” Matharu recalls. “She came back the following Saturday and said, ‘I can’t thank you enough. When I went to the hospital they said if the pharmacist hadn’t sent you there would have been a high risk of stroke or heart attack.”
Matharu – Chief Pharmacist at Westchem Pharmacy, West Wickham – has helped many community members with everything from patching up scrapes to helping patients understand their medication after being released from hospital. “You develop a level of trust with patients, where they come to you for advice on how to manage their conditions,” explains Matharu. “It’s fulfilling and fulfilling to have that kind of relationship with a patient.”
Matharu’s dispensary recruits locally and its staff “establish an instant rapport” with customers. In his more than 30-year career, Matharu has developed the theme of pharmacy as “[the] NHS on the high street”. He adds: “The USP of community pharmacy is easy access to a healthcare professional without an appointment.”
Your guide to three key NHS services
Call 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk via a link on the NHS app if:
- You must be directed to the right services to help you, including emergency care or face-to-face appointments with a doctor or nurse if needed
- Your concern is not life threatening
- Your medical problem feels urgent and you don’t know what to do
You can visit your pharmacy without an appointment for:
- Over-the-counter medication and clinical services
- Advice on minor illnesses or conditions including aches, pains, rashes, bladder infections, teething and coughs and colds
- Advice on your new medicines if you have asthma, COPD, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or if you have been given blood-thinning medicines
- Collect your NHS prescriptions
- Help, whether NHS 111 or your GP has advised you to get it
Contact your GP practice if:
- You have more serious complaints and the pharmacy cannot help you
- The pharmacist has informed you that you may need a prescription
- Your symptoms are not an emergency
People come to Westchem Pharmacy needing treatment for a wide variety of common ailments, including nasal congestion, minor eye infections, athlete’s foot, eczema, insect bites and more.
However, Matharu notices that the people who visit his pharmacy are not always aware of the extensive services that are offered there: including blood pressure measurements, referrals, vaccinations, checks after new medicines and smoking cessation.
“The general public knows ‘if I want to buy over-the-counter drugs or if I get a prescription, I’ll go to a pharmacy’, but they don’t know about the rest of the service,” explains Matharu – and they offer services to people who getting prescription is his goal.
Adds Matharu, “You have the opportunity to nudge them and influence them towards a better, healthier lifestyle.”
Farah Ali, Superintendent Pharmacist, Golders Green
Farah Ali, a pharmacist for over 25 years, works at Warman-Freed in Golders Green and wants people to use pharmacies for advice and treatment of minor illnesses. “Talk to your local community pharmacist and understand what services they offer,” she advises.
Local community pharmacies offer a wide range of services – for example, people can get much more from their local pharmacy than just cough and cold remedies. Pharmacies also help with minor ailments such as pain, cystitis, stomach problems, diarrhea and teething.
“There are broader things that traditionally we don’t necessarily associate with pharmacy,” Ali explains. “We provide emergency contraception, smoking cessation and help patients with asthma inhaler use.” Some pharmacies offer not only private flu vaccinations, but also NHS flu vaccinations for those who qualify.
Ali points out that instead of looking for information online, patients can benefit from a pharmacy’s “individualized solutions and advice”. Pharmacists can also refer patients and guide them to the right care. “If it’s something that needs medical attention, it’s important to have that assurance from a pharmacist to refer,” says Ali. “I have patients who have had a wasted A&E trip for a severe toothache, but our point of referral would have been an emergency dentist.”
Warman-Freed is also open late, until 10 p.m. daily. “Being on a shopping street means we are central to the community. This accessibility is very different from that of other healthcare professionals,” says Ali. “You don’t feel sick from nine to five.”
You will find your nearest pharmacy at nhs.uk/find-a-pharmacy or for more urgent help go to 111.nhs.uk via a link in the NHS app