Pharmacy Voice has given its endorsement to the Right Route: Right Care campaign launched last year by Pfizer Healthy Partnerships (PHP).

The campaign, based on a traffic light system, is designed to signpost people into pharmacy instead of the GP surgery.

Tying in with the NHS symptom guide, the initiative uses green to advise people to go to pharmacy, amber to go to their GP and red to go to A&E. The guide can be found at www.symptomguide.co.uk.

The campaign aims to support pharmacy teams in encouraging the public to make the most effective use of their local NHS services.

Posters and leaflets are available for pharmacy in six different languages: English, Polish, Punjabi, Urdu, Russian and Welsh

“This winter just passed has shown once again that A&E departments face overwhelming demand and we need to start to change behaviour to help ensure a sustainable national health service.” said Rob Darracott, chief executive of Pharmacy Voice.

A&E departments face increasing pressure, with the number of people attending A&E for minor ailments rising 11 times the rate of the population increase between 2004/5 and 2012/13.

“Reducing the burden on A&E is a particularly important challenge for the NHS and Pfizer recognises that increasing awareness and use of pharmacy services is one of a number of solutions to managing some patients’ health problems outside of A&E,” said Alison Wheeler, head of customer & channel marketing at Pfizer.

During the initial rollout of the Right Route, Right Care campaign in 2014 a survey of 125 people in one pharmacy found that 17% were visiting as a result of the campaign, said the company.