15th December 2016
Stockport residents are being urged to get their repeat prescriptions requests in early with the Christmas festivities just around the corner.
All GP practices will be closed on the bank holidays over Christmas and New Year which means people will struggle if they run out of their medication.
It’s particularly important if you have a long term health condition such as asthma, diabetes, lung or heart disease and can’t afford not to have your medicines at hand.
Stockport’s lead GP Dr Ranjit Gill said, “We have about sixty thousand people in Stockport with a long term health condition and, along with everyone else, we’d like them to have a good Christmas and New Year.
“We really do not want them running out of their medication, becoming poorly and having to spend part of the festive break ill or, worse still, in hospital.
“It can be hard in the busy run up to Christmas to find time to look after yourself but it’s really important that you think about your health and get your repeat prescriptions in on time.”
During the winter months, GP surgeries as well as A&E see a massive increase in the number of patients coming through their doors.
Some are in urgent need of immediate medical help but others have common winter bugs that will clear up by themselves within a few days.
Added Dr Gill “If you make sure you’ve got a reasonably well stocked medicine cabinet you can treat most minor illnesses, like sore throats, coughs and colds and upset stomachs, at home.
”It saves you a trip to your doctors surgery but also means that GPs can concentrate their efforts on patients who really need their expertise.”
Remember your local high-street pharmacy can help you deal with minor illnesses and complaints such as coughs, colds, flu, stomach upsets, aches and sprains and the bonus is you don’t need to book an appointment with them.
For more information on winter health please visit http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/winterhealth/Pages/Winterhealthhome.aspx