Think Pharmacy First This Summer

Going to your local pharmacy offers an easy and convenient way to get clinical advice on minor health concerns this summer.

Your local pharmacies offer treatment for seven common conditions without patients needing to see a GP.

Highly trained pharmacists at more than nine in ten pharmacies can now assess patients and prescribe treatment for:

• Earaches (for people aged 1-17)
• Impetigo (1+)
• Infected insect bites or stings (1+)
• Shingles (18+)
• Sinusitis (12+)
• Sore throat (5+)
• Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) for women aged 16-64.

This is in addition to all the other great advice that can be given about everyday problems like coughs and colds, aches and pains, and contraception. Many Pharmacies will have private consultation rooms, so you can talk in confidence.

You don’t need an appointment to see a Pharmacist. Many Pharmacies will have longer opening hours than GP practices, especially in the evenings, at weekends and on Bank Holidays.

Remember, you can go to any Pharmacy that’s convenient. So, if you’re elsewhere in England visiting family or on holiday, you can still get the help you need close to where you are.

If you take regularly prescribed medication, you can even use the NHS App’s prescription barcode collection feature to pick up your latest batch from anywhere.

Don’t wait for minor health concerns to get worse – think pharmacy first and get seen by your local pharmacy team.

For more information, visit.uk/thinkpharmacyfirst or find your nearest pharmacy by entering your postcode on the NHS website.