Fight the winter bugs with a bit of healthy know how from NHSScotland

Fight the winter bugs with a bit of healthy know how from NHSScotland

People across Scotland are being urged to include health in their festive preparations to make sure they can deal with minor illnesses quickly and easily.

The advice is part of a national health campaign highlighting a few ‘healthy know how’ tips to stay well and enjoy the festivities, avoiding the need to get medical help over the holidays.

NHS 24’s Associate Clinical Director, Dr John McAnaw said: ““I think the best ‘healthy know how’ tip is planning ahead so that common winter ailments don’t become a problem for people. Keeping some remedies in the house, checking prescriptions and knowing where to get the right care if someone does become unwell are all really helpful.

“Community pharmacies are a great place to get advice about winter illnesses and medicines, and should be your first port of call as the pharmacist can help you manage a range of these common illnesses. You can find your local pharmacy by using the service directory at nhsinform.scot which has lots of health information and symptom checkers too. Of-course, if you have an urgent care need when your GP practice is not open, you should phone NHS 24 on 111’.”

Healthy Know How tips include:

·        Don’t run out of your repeat prescription, order only what you need and in plenty of time

·        Be prepared for common illnesses by keeping some remedies in your medicine cupboard

·        If you become unwell, NHS inform can help with useful symptom checkers to help you decide if you need to get help (www.nhsinform.scot)

·        If you do need to talk to a healthcare professional it’s important that you get the right care in the right place, which could be your local pharmacy, your GP or by calling 111

Winter health advice available on NHS inform: https://www.nhsinform.scot/campaigns/healthy-know-how