If you or your loved ones aren't feeling well, find out which service is best placed to help you.
Your local pharmacy can provide expert, confidential advice and treatment without an appointment.
- Offer advice on treating minor ailments and injuries such as...
- Vomiting and diarrhoea
- Runny nose
- Headache flu-like symptoms
- Indigestion
- Give advice on medication and whether you need to see your GP
- Help you manage certain long-term conditions
- Dispense medicine when you give them your prescription
- Dispense repeat prescriptions without the need to visit your GP
- Give sexual health and contraception advice
Think Pharmacy first
Pharmacy First will enable community pharmacists to supply prescription-only medicines, including antibiotics and antivirals where clinically appropriate, to treat seven common health conditions without the need to visit a GP.
What are the seven common conditions?
The following table shows the 7 conditions pharmacists can manage across various age ranges.
Clinical pathway age range
|
Acute otitis media* |
1 to 17 years |
|
Impetigo |
1 year and over |
|
Infected insect bites |
1 year and over |
|
Shingles |
18 years and over |
|
Sinusitis |
12 years and over |
|
Sore throat |
5 years and over |
| Uncomplicated urinary tract infections | Women 16-64 years |
* Distance selling pharmacies will not complete consultations for acute otitis media.
If you go to a pharmacy with one of these conditions, the pharmacist will offer you advice, treatment or refer you to a GP or other healthcare professional.
They will then update your GP health record.
Don't forget to pick up your prescription before holidays start. Some GP surgeries and pharmacies will have amended opening hours, ask your practice for more information.
- A first-aid kit, including bandages, plasters, a thermometer, antiseptic, eyewash solution, sterile dressings, medical tape for dressings and tweezers
- Pain relief such as aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen for aches, pains and high temperatures
- Oral rehydration salts to replace lost minerals and fluid after a fever or vomiting and diarrhoea
- Anti-diarrhoea tablets to relieve symptoms of diarrhoea, although these will not help with the underlying cause
- Antihistamines which can help with allergies
- Indigestion relief remedies
