A HANDBRIDGE pharmacist is backing a free text service to help ease pressure on A&E departments and 999 services.

Gordon Couper, along with high-street pharmacists throughout the region, are supporting an NHS campaign to tackle the high number of admissions as well as a new, free ‘pharmacy finder’ text service.

From April to September this year, the number of people going to A&E went up by nearly 30,000 to just under 1.8 million, and the number of calls to 999 went up by over 3,000 to over 533,000.

This is all before the start of the winter season.

Mr Couper, who is chairman of South Cheshire local pharmaceutical committee, said: “We are getting behind the Choose Well campaign because as community pharmacists we have an important role to play as part of primary care.

“We can provide expert and confidential advice and treatment for many of the minor illnesses and ailments that people currently go to Accident and Emergency with or call 999 for.

“Many people don’t realise that they can actually treat themselves for many conditions such as sore throats, back ache, minor sports injuries, colds, flu and stomach upsets, without having to go to Accident and Emergency or calling 999.

“High street pharmacists like us are highly- qualified professionals and are part of the NHS team. And by using the free text service, it’s even easier these days to find your nearest local pharmacist.”

All people have to do is text ‘pharmacy’ to 64746 to receive free texts with the name, address and telephone number of your three nearest pharmacists.

And as the service makes use of global positioning satellite or GPS, it does not matter if you are in Chester or Frodsham one day and Ellesmere Port or Neston the next.

For more information, visit www.northwest.nhs. uk/choosewell.