People urged to think 'pharmacy first' to alleviate NHS pressures in the Tees Valley
Health leaders say sun burn, insect bites and hayfever are the most common during the summer
People across the Tees Valley are being reminded to think 'pharmacy first' to help alleviate pressure on the NHS.
Health leaders say sun burn, insect bites and hayfever are the most common during the summer which don't require trips to GPs or A&E for treatment.
Pete Horrocks, community pharmacist in the Tees Valley, said: "If you're heading out for the day, make sure that you've got yourself some suncream packed in your bag. And always sometimes we might not have the sun in the UK, but it's always best to have a bottle of suncream on standby because if you do get burnt, it can obviously take a while for your skin to heal and obviously the risks of sun burn.
"For many people they might suffer with allergies at this time of year and the pharmacy is a great place to stock up on antihistamines and other treatment for allergies. And the other thing we often see at this time of year is insect bites.
"Pharmacist can assess the patient to see if it's likely that that insect bite has turned into an infected insect bite so a consultation with the pharmacist would provide the necessary treatment, saving therefore a trip to the GP or A&E.
"The NHS is under immense stress and pressure, but people have the opportunity to access care at the right level. So there's a real importance in thinking, well, if I've got a problem with my health, who's the best person to go and see? And if at all you're unsure, you can pop in to see the local community pharmacist.
"Many minor illnesses are readily treatable at the pharmacy. We've also got the reassurance that having had an appointment with a healthcare professional that if you haven't come to the right place, they'll be able to direct you whether you should be in to see your GP or should be seeing somebody in urgent care or accident and emergency."