Making Effective Use of the NHS

*Please consult your GP if you have any health concerns

  • Don’t miss your booked appointments – ring up and cancel if you can’t attend.
  • Take up free screening when offered e.g. breast screening, prostate screening, cervical screening, bowel cancer screening etc.
  • Use the text reminder service – Let your GP Surgery, hospital and dentist know if you change your mobile phone number
  • Take up your free Flu / pneumonia immunisations if you are eligible
  • pharmacy

  • Get your child vaccinated with free childhood vaccines offered by your GP
  • Consult your GP before you travel abroad about travel vaccinations
  • Ensure repeat prescriptions are requested in time so that you don’t run out
  • Stock your medicine cupboard with essentials such as paracetamol, Calpol®, antacids and diarrhoea tablets
  • Seek advice from your pharmacist at the first sign of illness – most pharmacists are highly qualified health care professionals who can advise you on using medicine safely as well as offer quick, confidential advice on a range of common illnesses such as:-

   ◎ Coughs, colds and sore throats
   ◎ Tummy trouble
   ◎ Aches and pains
   ◎ Earaches
   ◎ Cystitis
   ◎ Teething
   ◎ Red eye

    heart

  • Use the NHS 111 service for health advice and accessing the GP out of hours service
  • Call 999 only in an emergency such as:-

   ◎ Chest pains
   ◎ Severe breathing difficulties
   ◎ Severe blood loss
   ◎ choking
   ◎ black outs

  • When to go to A & E

   ◎ Loss of consciousness
   ◎ Acute confused state and fits that are not stopping
   ◎ Breathing difficulties
   ◎ Severe bleeding that cannot be stopped
   ◎ Severe allergic reactions
   ◎ Severe burns or scalds
   ◎ Stroke
   ◎ Major trauma such as a road traffic accident

Find a health service in Suffolk

Secured By miniOrange