Pharmacy First

Pharmacists can provide advice and treatment for a wide range of health conditions.  As part of the Pharmacy First programme they can now also help with:

• earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
• impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
• infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
• shingles (aged 18 years and over)
• sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
• sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
• urinary tract infections or UTIs (women aged 16 to 64 years)

They will be able to provide you with advice, treatment or refer you to a GP or other health professional if it is needed.

Following a consultation with the pharmacist, they may be able to prescribe and dispense any medication required for the above conditions, including antibiotics.

All Pharmacies provide the following services:

• dispensing
• repeat dispensing
• disposal of unwanted or out-of-date medicines
• advice on treatment of minor health concerns and healthy living

Other services that may be available from your local Pharmacy:

• Advice on alcohol consumption
• Blood pressure check
• Chlamydia screening and treatment service
• Cholesterol and blood sugar testing
• Condom supply service
• Emergency hormonal contraception service
• Emergency supply of prescription medicines
• Independent prescribing by Pharmacists – some Pharmacists can now prescribe prescription-only medicines for certain medical conditions
• Medicines use reviews
• New Medicine Service
• NHS Health Check – blood pressure, cholesterol or blood glucose testing
• Oral Contraceptive Tablets - Find a pharmacy that offers the contraceptive pill without a prescription - NHS
• Pregnancy testing
• Stop smoking service
• Substance misuse service including needle and syringe exchange
• Weight management service

View this NHS section about how pharmacists can help and finding one near to you.