NHS Eastern Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) estimates that GPs could have an extra hour a day for appointments if more people gave 'self-care' a go by trying over-the-counter medicines first for common minor conditions.
Eastern Cheshire GPs could use the extra hour a day to treat more seriously ill patients if they didn't see as many people with coughs, colds, sore throats and headaches. .
There are medicines that can help with the symptoms and these can be bought from pharmacists, supermarkets and local retailers and you do not need to have seen a doctor or have a prescription to buy them.
The CCG is urging people to stock up their medicine cabinets for winter with over-the-counter medicines, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, so they can deal with any minor conditions which are short lived, simple complaints that are not serious. These include: coughs, colds, sore throats, headaches , indigestion, constipation, haemorrhoids, diarrhoea and vomiting , minor pain or discomfort from back pain, strains and sprains , allergies, insect bites and stings , acute nasal congestion , dry skin, rash and sunburn , acne , cold sores and head lice .
Dr Paul Bowen, clinical chair of the CCG and GP at McIlvride Medical Practice, Poynton said: "A prescription is not a cure all, especially for minor conditions where it is best to let nature takes it course. For example it is a misconception that antibiotics are needed to treat a cold. "We are also trying to free up GP appointments so they can be used for patients with more serious health problems.
"Although the NHS is free to patients when they receive a service, there is still a cost that has to be funded. It costs more than £40 to fund a GP's appointment and the pharmacist's fees for a prescription medicine that could cost just pennies from a pharmacy or supermarket."
He added: "People shouldn't be worried about asking for advice. There is free, professional advice from qualified pharmacists who have a wide range of products and often have their own private consultation rooms.
"There is also help, any time day or night, from the NHS Choices web site or by calling 111 free of charge to be connected to an adviser at NHS111."
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Furthermore we also need to know whether specific groups of patients are thought to be `abusing` the system, as they could be parents with young children and older people needing reassurance rather than health care.
For such groups the ECCCG advice is to seek help at pharmacies for it is fully recognised that pharmacists fulfill a very valuable role in offering advice and over the counter medications.
However it is not clear that while more people are being advised to seek help at pharmacies, at the same time the Government is cutting back on their funding.
Seems like another example of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing .
Tooth pain - find a Dentist.
Dying - stagger to A & E.
Or try and get an appointment with a G.P. and wait two months for a correct diagnosis whilst being fed endless useless antibiotics!