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Self-Care
Self care is about looking after yourself in a healthy way. It can be anything from doing some exercise, managing common conditions (also sometimes called minor ailments) like headaches, coughs & colds and hay fever or living with a long-term health problem, such as asthma or diabetes.
Why should I self care?
You can manage most common conditions at home with support from community pharmacists, without the need to see your GP.
You will help ease the pressure on NHS services if you can manage the condition at home.
You can help free up some of your GP or nurse’s time, making it easier to get an appointment when you have a more serious or complex condition.
You will help to reduce the amount spent by your local NHS on medicines that are available over the counter and release resource to fund other health conditions and treatments.
How can I self care?
Many common conditions can be treated at home with the support of your local pharmacy if needed. Over the counter products for self care are things like pain relief, hay fever medication and cough and cold remedies. These items can be bought from pharmacies and supermarkets without a prescription.
They are also often cheaper this way. You can get them without an appointment or seeing a doctor. Download the leaflet of visit www.nhs.uk for more advice on how to self care.
Keeping a well stocked medicine cabinet at home can help you treat many minor ailments. Colds, coughs, indigestion and many other minor complaints can all be treated with medicines that are available over the counter.
Your pharmacist can advise on what you might find useful to keep in your medicine cabinet. Always follow the instructions on the medicine label and consult your doctor if the illness continues or becomes more severe.