Pharmacies can provide you with advice on a range of conditions – our reception team will direct you to your local pharmacy if they are able to help you instead of a GP. Their services include:
Pharmacy First
Pharmacists can now offer prescription medicine, like antibiotics, for some conditions, without you needing to see a GP or make an appointment. This is called Pharmacy First. The conditions are:
- impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
- infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
- earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
- sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
- sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
- urinary tract infections (UTIs) (women aged 16 to 64 years)
- shingles (aged 18 years and over)
If you are not within these age ranges, a pharmacist can still offer advice and support decisions about self care treatment with over the counter medicines, but you may need to see a GP for treatment.
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 health professional if needed. They will also update your GP health record, but your information will not be shared with anyone else.
Most pharmacies can provide prescription medicine for these conditions but contact them before visiting to check.
Medication Advice
Pharmacists can give advice about medicines. This includes how to use your medicine, worries about side effects or any other questions you have.
Blood pressure check
Pharmacists can do your NHS blood pressure check, give you a home monitor if its high and refer you to your GP if you might need medication.
Contraception
Pharmacists can give advice or support with your contraceptive needs including supplying your contraceptive pill or giving you the emergency contraception (morning after pill).
Other conditions
Pharmacists can give advice on:
- aches and pains
- coughs
- colds
- flu
- skin rashes
- teething or infant colic
- red eye
- acne – mild
- allergic reactions – minor
- athletes foot
- cold sores/mouth ulcer
- conjunctivitis (not under 2)
- constipation (not under 2)
- diarrhoea
- earache
- emergency contraception (not under 16)
- hay fever
- hair loss
- head lice
- scabies
- threadworms
- thrush
- travel sickness
- warts/veruccas
If they cannot help you themselves, they can refer you to a GP or other health professional.
For more information, visit Community Pharmacy – Services your local pharmacy offers or How pharmacies can help – NHS
