England's clinical director for acute care Keith Willett reminded patients to visit their pharmacist if they felt "under the weather", following a Met Office warning on Monday (December 1) that "unseasonably mild conditions" would be replaced by typical weather for this time of year.

Each winter saw an increase in the numbers of patients admitted to hospital because of respiratory or other chronic conditions that were worsened by the cold, immobility and viral illnesses, said Professor Willett. This resulted in 25,000 extra deaths in England each year, many of which were preventable, PHE said.

Professor Willett echoed comments he made in October by advising people with "wheezes, coughs and sneezes" to visit a pharmacist even if they did not think their condition was serious. "No problem is too small and they are a highly trained and trusted source of health advice," he said.
 

PHE advised eligible patients to have their free flu vaccination, and reminded the public to "look out for" older people, young children and those with pre-existing conditions, because the impact of cooler weather was felt most keenly by these groups. People should heat their home to at least 18°C to minimise any health risks, it added.

The Met Office warned that temperatures this week were set to fall close to the average for early December: around 7-10°C by day and close to freezing at night.

In October, NHS England launched its six-week "Feeling under the weather" winter initiative to encourage patients aged over 60 and their carers to "nip health problems in the bud" and visit their pharmacist early. LPC leaders told C+D the campaign would give pharmacists the opportunity to impress local commissioners.

The campaign drew on the success of NHS England's "The earlier the better" winter pressures initiative earlier this year.

	How have you prepared for dealing with more patients with minor ailments over winter?