12.02.18
Meningitis charity raises ‘real concerns’ about NHS England campaign
A meningitis charity has criticised an NHS campaign that urges parents to treat their local pharmacist as their first port of call for minor illnesses in their children.
Meningitis Now said that it had “real concerns” that NHS England was putting another step in the process of quick diagnoses for conditions like Meningitis, which could result in lost time and increase the risk facing patients.
Dr Tom Nutt, chief executive at Meningitis Now, said: “Some 40% of all Meningococcal B cases occur in children under the age of four, with symptoms which can be mistaken for a cold, often developing at an alarming rate.
“The worst possible scenario is a parent waiting to get help if the pharmacist was busy or if the pharmacy was closed."
The Stay Well Pharmacy campaign follows an NHS survey which found just 6% of parents with under-fives would go to a pharmacist first.
NHS England said that every year there are 18 million GP appointments and 2.1 million visits to A&E for self-treatable conditions, like coughs and colds, which costs £850m.
The organisation argues that instead, millions of parents could get more convenient and timely expert advice by taking their concerns to their local pharmacist first, which would also ease pressure on GPs and accident and emergency services.
Dr Bruce Warner, deputy chief pharmaceutical officer for England, said: “Pharmacists are highly trained NHS health professionals who are able to offer clinical advice and effective treatments for a wide range of minor health concerns right there and then.
“They can assess symptoms and recommend the best course of treatment or simply provide reassurance, for instance when a minor illness will get better on its own with a few days' rest.
“However, if symptoms suggest it's something more serious, they have the right clinical training to ensure people get the help they need.
“We want to help the public get the most effective use of these skilled clinicians who are available every day of the week.”
Meningitis Now’s Nutt added: “We would recommend and urge parents to learn the signs and symptoms of the disease and trust their instincts to seek the appropriate medical intervention which in the case of suspected meningitis may not be a pharmacist, but a GP and or local A&E.”
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