Think pharmacy first
Your pharmacist can now provide treatment or some prescription medicine, if needed, for seven common conditions, listed below, without seeing a GP. Find your local pharmacy (NHS website).
Pharmacists are trained to help people treat themselves for many common conditions, such as colds, flu, stomach bugs and aches and pains. As qualified healthcare professionals, they can offer clinical advice and over-the-counter medicines for a range of minor illnesses, such as coughs, colds, sore throats, tummy trouble and aches and pains.
Most pharmacies can also offer prescription medicine for some conditions, without you needing to see a GP or make an appointment. This is called Pharmacy First. Conditions they can offer prescription medicine for 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.
If symptoms suggest it's something more serious, pharmacists have the right training to make sure you get the help you need. For example: they will tell you if you need to see a GP. Many pharmacies are open until late and on the weekends and you can just walk in.
Find your local pharmacy (NHS website)
More details on what you can expect from your pharmacy (NHS website)