Community pharmacists dispense your prescriptions and other medicines, offer testing and screening for common conditions and can advise on minor ailments.
Pharmacists and chemists also offer advice on common problems such as:
- Coughs, colds and flu
- Bugs and viruses
- Minor injuries
- Tummy troubles
- Women’s health
- Skin conditions
- Allergies
- Aches and pains
- Children’s problems
You can talk to your pharmacist in confidence, even about the most personal symptoms and you don’t need to make an appointment. Most pharmacies now have a private consultation area where patients can discuss issues with pharmacy staff without being overheard by other members of the public.
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.
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- disposal of unwanted or out-of-date medicines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:
View this NHS section about how pharmacists can help and finding one near to you.