For the right treatment, know before you go - Right Care Right Place Campaign

The know before you go campaign continues to play a pivotal role in helping the public to understand how and when to access services for their health concerns. The campaign approach shifts the focus to wider healthcare services such as pharmacies, optometrists and dentists as the first point of call for non-emergency healthcare needs. The crux of the campaign encourages the public to know where to go to get the best treatment and advice they need, often faster and closer to home. 

The launch of this refreshed campaign marks the start of a multi-year approach which will allow messaging to flex to different healthcare services, symptoms and seasons as needed.  The campaign will also adopt an ‘always on’ style of approach as a way of embedding key messaging throughout the year and closer to moments of relevancy.

This new approach launches with a hero campaign highlighting pharmacy services. Activity will run across TV, radio, digital and social platforms, and press partnerships from 26th October 2026 through to 22nd November 2026. Tactical out-of-home, social and digital advertising, and PPC will run through to the 31^st March.

A micro-campaign promoting Optometry will commence in January 2027, more details on this will be shared in the coming weeks.

Key messages

• For the right treatment, know before you go - Your local pharmacy is the best place to go for many minor illnesses and common health conditions. Knowing this before you need it means you're ready to make the right call when you need to.
• For many common health conditions, you’ll often get help and advice faster at the pharmacy.
• No appointment needed - Pharmacy gives you access to the right care, closer to home, often with reduced waiting time and no appointment needed. It's a faster route you can choose for yourself.
• Pharmacies can treat more than you might think - Pharmacists can help with a wide range of everyday conditions and are experts in their field. Before you decide where to go, it's worth knowing just how much they can do.
• For more information, visit NHSinform.scot/rightcare or speak to a local pharmacy team directly.

Stakeholder Resources

The know before you go Stakeholder Toolkit outlines all assets available, which include posters, social media films and imagery with suggested supporting copy and the TV advert.

You can access all resources via the SG Communications Resource Centre: know before you go

How You Can Help

• Re-share posts from the Healthier Scotland Facebook channel and follow the Scottish Government Facebook and Instagram accounts.
• Share social films and/or static social assets with accompanying copy via your social channels.
• Print / display / circulate posters in visible areas and across your networks.

Thank you for your continued support in sharing Right Care Right Place messages.

If you have any questions on this please don't hesitate to get in touch.