Additional advice
Coronavirus concerns
The guidance on Covid-19 is constantly changing and can vary depending on where you live.
Customers who are not able to socialise or are not getting the family support they need may be turning to you for help. Pharmacy teams have proved how valuable they are throughout this time.
For more information on Covid-19 and how to advise customers this winter, take a look at our October InPractice on Winter Health.
Reflection
How are you keeping up-to-date with national and local advice and lockdown restrictions?
Supporting children
With disruption to school routine, changes in schools and restrictions on seeing friends, as well as potentially not fully understanding what is going on, the coronavirus outbreak can have quite an impact on young people’s mental health. You may have parents expressing concerns about their child’s wellbeing to you.
Tips to support young people include:
- Listen to them and ask how they are getting on
- Show interest in what they are doing
- Take what they say seriously
- Pay attention to their emotions and behaviour
- Encourage their interests
- Build sleep routines.
Parents may find Every Mind Matters helpful for more information.
Resources
There are lots of resources that you can direct customers to, or use in your conversations. The NHS website and NHS 111 have lots of information about minor ailments and can help people to access the most appropriate health service.
England:
NHS 111 covers most of the UK but england.nhs.uk/urgent-emergency-care/nhs-111/ provides more information specific to England.
Scotland:
nhsinform.scot/self-help-guides is a useful resource, with guides for minor ailments as well as mental health self-help guides for customers to find out more about what they can do to manage their condition.
nhsinform.scot/healthy-living provides information for customers about how to look after their wellbeing.
Wales:
111.wales.nhs.uk/LiveWell/ has lots of information, health check tools and links for self-help groups.
Northern Ireland:
nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/living-well has advice on a range of topics, such as healthy living and looking after young children.