Martin Whitfield MSP is is helping to promote NHS 24’s spring campaign ‘Healthy Know How’.
The health campaign highlights the need to be prepared for common illnesses and ailments at home, while also reminding the public to check that they have enough prescription medication to last over the Easter weekend.
Healthy Know How tips include:
– Check your repeat prescription, order only what you need, in plenty of time.
– Keep some medicines to treat common illnesses at home.
– If you become unwell, NHS inform and the NHS 24 Online app have useful symptom checkers to help you decide what to do next.
– Be aware that your GP practice and local pharmacy may have amended opening hours over the Easter
weekend and any local holidays in May.
Welcoming the campaign, Martin Whitfield MSP said:
“I welcome this campaign and am pleased to help promote it to people in my region. I recommend that everyone takes five minutes to review NHS 24’s spring Healthy Know How tips.
“By following the advice, households will be prepared to quickly deal with any minor illness or mishap
should it occur, which will free up more time for people to enjoy their Easter holidays.”
Explaining why the Easter holidays increase the number of calls to NHS 24’s 111-service and why it is important that families and individuals prepare for the spring season, NHS 24’s Medical Director, Dr Ron Cook said:
“Nobody likes being unwell, but it is particularly unwelcome when the Easter holidays are coming up and you might be busy getting prepared for a short getaway or fun days out with the family. The Easter weekend is a busy time for 111 as many health services such as GPs, pharmacies, and dentists may be closed or have amended opening hours because of the public holidays.”
The Healthy Know How campaign page on NHS inform has lots of tips on how to prepare and safely manage minor illnesses and injuries at home.
The campaign also promotes digital tools as a convenient way to get NHS health advice fast from a trusted source.
Online resources such as symptom checkers, are available for free on both NHS inform and NHS 24 Online app and cover a range of common illnesses and ailments including earache, rashes and vomiting.
They give information on how to safely self-manage medical conditions or when and where to look for further medical help if needed.
Find out more about NHS 24’s spring Healthy Know How campaign at nhs24.info/spring.