A pharmacy in St Albans is asking residents to stop and think before visiting their GP or A&E after statistics revealed that an estimated 50 million people visit their GP with minor ailments each year.

St Albans Pharmacy in Cell Barnes Lane has joined a nationwide campaign, ‘Ask Your Pharmacist’, to help save time and reduce pressures on NHS services in the city.

The campaign is part of the All About Health programme, which promotes healthy living in the community.

Jaymini Vibhakar, St Albans pharmacist, said minor ailments such as coughs and colds, mild eczema and athlete’s foot were just some of the complaints people visited their GP about.

She said this cost the NHS £2 billion every year which simply was not sustainable.