Residents in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire are being reminded to find the right health service for their illness or injury this winter.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) who commission health services in the area are asking local residents to familiarise themselves with the range of local health services and which illnesses and injuries they can treat. Last year local people using A&E when they didn’t need to cost the local NHS £2million, this could have treated 500 heart attack patients or bought 250 hip replacements.

Here’s a reminder of what local NHS services can treat.

• Pharmacies can help with bugs and viruses, skin conditions, allergies, pregnancy testing and help with stopping smoking.
• GPs can help with back ache, ear aches, painful coughs, mental health conditions and any illness or injury that won’t go away. Make sure that you have your doctor’s number to hand. There’s also an out of hours GP service which can be accessed by calling your normal doctor’s number – you will be put straight through or hear a message with the out of hours service number.
• Walk-in centre or minor illness or injury unit – these can help with minor burns and scalds, bites and stings, strains and sprains and minor eye or ear problems.
• Or you can look after colds, coughs, sore throats, hangovers, tummy upsets, grazes can all be treated at home with a well-stocked medicine cabinet.

Dr Arnold Fertig GP in Cambridge and from CamHealth Local Commissioning Group said:

Winter brings more coughs, colds and flu so it is a good idea to be prepared and to make sure you have a supply of remedies at home to help care for you and your family over the holiday period. If you need a regular prescription for a long term condition, please check now to make sure that you have enough to last you over the holiday season, and go to your GP or pharmacist to collect any prescriptions in good time before Christmas and New Year holidays.

Remember if somebody is unwell and you are not sure as to the best course of action, it is often best to call first for advice.

For more information please visit www.cambridgeshireandpeterboroughccg.nhs.uk/choose-well