HEALTH commissioners in East Lancashire are supporting pharmacies to provide expert health advice on minor ailments.

Eight pharmacies in the Ribble Valley have signed up to Pharmacy First.

This Community Pharmacy Minor Ailments Scheme means patients don’t have to wait for a GP appointment for a minor condition but can instead choose to go to a pharmacy for free advice and treatment.

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For those patients who don’t normally pay for prescriptions, the pharmacy will be able to supply some medicines free of charge.

The scheme can be accessed for a range of common conditions such as allergies, colds and flu, cold sores, conjunctivitis, pain relief, fever, cystitis and indigestion.

To sign up to the scheme, patients must be registered with an East Lancashire GP practice.

Dr David White, clinical lead for unplanned care at NHS East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “Community pharmacists are the experts in medicine and already advise patients on a wide range of common ailments.

“The aim of the Pharmacy First scheme is to improve patient access, so instead of waiting for a GP appointment for a common condition like a cough or cold, the patient can go straight to their pharmacist for help without the need for an appointment.

“Patients often think only a doctor can treat them, but the CCG is hoping that through this scheme people can realise that there is often another, more direct route for treatment.”

Almost 90 pharmacies across Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley are taking part in the scheme.

They include branches of Boots, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Cohens, Lloyds and the Co-operative as well as independent pharmacies.