POORLY residents are being urged to use their nearby chemist for information and advice on minor ailments and illnesses during the festive period.

NHS Vale Royal Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is encouraging people in Northwich and Winsford to make a pharmacy their first port of call for self-care, rather than their GP or A&E department.

Dr Jonathan Griffiths, GP chairman of the CCG, said: “Your local pharmacist is an ideal place to go for advice and treatment of minor illnesses and ailments.

“By encouraging this, we aim to relieve some of the pressure felt by other areas of the health service that are being used inappropriately, such as A&E.

“We hope that over the festive season people will make wise choices over the necessary level of treatment, instead of going straight to the doctor or hospital, when it isn’t really necessary.”