If you are unwell and need medical care the NHS is here for you. There are various ways in which you can receive NHS services including from your local pharmacy, GP surgery or NHS 111.
By Olayiwola Balogun – Knowing which part of the NHS is the right one to support you when we are feeling unwell is key to helping you stay healthy and well – and you should seek out the appropriate healthcare at the earliest opportunity. To help you find the right next step you can access excellent support and resources via the NHS website, nhs.uk.
The NHS 111 service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is there to help you. Simply telephone 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk via a link on the NHS App to answer questions about your symptoms with a trained advisor.
NHS 111 will then be able to – for example – direct you to a local service which can help, such as a nurse, pharmacy or GP practice, A&E.
An important resource in times of minor illness is your local community pharmacy. Qualified and highly experienced healthcare professionals are on hand to provide clinical advice and over the counter medicine for a range of issues, including aches and pains and stomach issues. What’s more, pharmacies are often open late and at weekends – and there’s no need for appointments unless advised otherwise.
For management of more serious health conditions, contact your GP practice.
Their team often includes a range of healthcare professionals such as nurses and physios, as well as GPs, who can help you get the treatment and care you need. This means that when you contact your surgery for an appointment, a GP may not be the best person to help you and you may be referred to someone else.
Receptionists may ask you some questions about what you need help with and any symptoms you have. The information will ensure you get the most suitable doctor, nurse, or other health professional to help you. Most surgeries now offer telephone consultations as well as face-to-face appointments.
Here, a pharmacist talks about how he supports his local community and why local pharmacies are useful and convenient for locals in need of quick medical advice.
Taofiq Shodunke is an experienced superintendent pharmacist from Oxford.He is currently the pharmacy lead for the local Primary Care Network (PCN). He has also served for more than 10 years as a member and chairman of Thames Valley LPC.
Mr Shodunke, runs an independent pharmacy, The Leys Pharmacy in a community estate in Oxford from the same location for 25 years.
He said, “At our community pharmacy we offer accessible healthcare to the whole community. People do not need appointments to get access to highly qualified healthcare professionals. we have long opening hours, and our staff are from the local community hence understand local culture and social norms.
In addition, we are in a good position to help people who are well to prevent the onset of ill health.
Our well-trained and competent staff are there to support the community to achieve better health outcomes.
Community pharmacies are staffed with highly qualified healthcare professionals that can handle all minor illnesses
The Leys Pharmacy has three branches in the city, and they provide a range of services. It opens from 8am until 7pm, on Monday to Friday from 9am until 5pm on Saturdays and between 11am and 4pm on Sundays.
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