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Health A to Z

Your complete guide to conditions, symptoms and treatments, including what to do and when to get help.

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Medicines A to Z

Find out how your medicine works, how and when to take it, possible side effects and answers to your common questions.

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Pharmacy First

As qualified healthcare professionals, pharmacists can offer advice on minor illnesses such as:

  • coughs
  • colds
  • sore throats
  • tummy trouble
  • aches and pains

They can also advise on medicine that you can buy without a prescription.

Most pharmacies can also offer prescription medicine for some conditions, without you needing to see a GP or make an appointment. This is called Pharmacy First.

Conditions they can offer prescription medicine for are:

  • impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
  • infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
  • earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
  • sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
  • sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
  • urinary tract infections (UTIs) (women aged 16 to 64 years)
  • shingles (aged 18 years and over)

If you are not within these age ranges, a pharmacist can still offer advice and support decisions about self care treatment with over the counter medicines, but you may need to see a GP for treatment.

If you go to a pharmacy with one of these conditions, the pharmacist will offer you advice, treatment or refer you to a GP or other health professional if needed. They will also update your GP health record, but your information will not be shared with anyone else.

Most pharmacies can provide prescription medicine for these conditions but contact them before visiting to check.

Many pharmacies are open until late and at weekends. You do not need an appointment.

Most pharmacies have a private consultation room where you can discuss issues with pharmacy staff without being overheard.

 

Find A Pharmacy

NHS App

Download the NHS App or open the NHS website up and login to access a range of NHS services online.

The NHS App gives you a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services. Download the NHS App on your smartphone or tablet via the Google play or App store. You can also access the same services in a web browser by logging in through the NHS website.

You must be aged 13 or over to use the NHS App. You also need to be registered with a GP surgery in England or the Isle of Man. Find out more about who can use the NHS App.

Depending on your GP surgery or hospital, you may be able to use the NHS App to:

  • message your GP surgery or a health professional online
  • contact your GP surgery using an online form and get a reply
  • access health services on behalf of someone you care for
  • view and manage your hospital and other healthcare appointments
  • view useful links your doctor or health professional has shared with you
  • view and manage care plans

NHS App

Healthy living

Advice, tips and tools to help you make the best choices about your health and wellbeing.

 

Managing your weight

Eat well

Help with mental health

Exercise

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Kickstart your health

It's never too late to get your health back on track. Eat well, move more and start losing weight with Better Health. Try our NHS weight loss plan to get you started

Westmorland and Furness Holiday Activities and Food Programme

If your child has free school meals you can find and book free childrens' activities and events in the school holidays.

About the programme

The Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme is funded by the Department for Education.

The programme provides fully funded activities and meals during the school holidays for eligible children and young people. Research has shown that the school holidays can be pressure points for some families. The HAF programme is a response to this, with evidence showing that holiday clubs can have a positive impact on children and young people and that they work best when they provide:

  • physical activities
  • enriching activities
  • nutritious food

Eligible children can join the HAF programme for up to four days at Easter, 16 days in the summer and four days at Christmas. It does not run in half-term holidays.

For more infomation and to book click the link below

 

Holiday Activities and Food Programme