Pharmacies are on hand to help people stay well this winter, with pharmacists able to offer advice on a range of illnesses and treatment options, as well as prescribe prescription medicine for a range of common health conditions.

Pharmacy First means people feeling under the weather from one of the seven conditions covered by the scheme are able to seek help from a community pharmacy without having to make an appointment with their GP.

Conditions that pharmacists can offer prescription medicine for are:

• Impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
• Infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
• Earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
• Sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
• Sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
• Urinary tract infections (women aged 16 to 64 years)
• Shingles (aged 18 years and over)

While help and support from all community pharmacies in the region can be accessed on a walk-in basis, some sites do allow patients to ring ahead and book an appointment.

People can find details of their nearest pharmacy, such as opening times and the services being provided, though the NHS website at www.nhs.uk/service-search/pharmacy/find-a-pharmacy.