Your local pharmacist can give advice on many common conditions, without an appointment and sometimes outside usual hours.
Your local pharmacist can provide confidential, expert advice and treatment for a range of common illnesses and complaints, without you having to wait for a GP appointment or going to your emergency department. This can be the best and quickest way to help you recover and get back to normal.
Before going to your GP, it is worth speaking to your pharmacist. This can help you decide if you need to see the doctor.
Pharmacists can give information about other local health services.
Treatments provided as part of the Minor Ailments Service are free of charge, and you will get a private consultation and advice from a pharmacist without the need to make an appointment.
When a pharmacist may be able to help
Your pharmacist may be able to help you with:
- Coughs, colds, eye conditions, stomach upsets, skin conditions, allergies, aches and pains
- Common drugs, vitamins and minor first-aid
- Healthy eating and living, including giving up smoking
- Blood pressure and diabetes monitoring and needle exchange, truss fittings, stoma products and incontinence supplies
- Women's health, including treatment for thrush, emergency contraception and pregnancy testing
- Children's health, including nappy rash, teething, coughs and colds, threadworms, head lice, warts and verrucas
- all prescribed and over-the-counter medicines
When a pharmacist may not be able to help
Your pharmacist may not routinely be able to help with:
- Stitching or wound and dressing care
- Severe lacerations, cuts, severe sprains, strains and fractures
- Infected wounds and foreign bodies
- Head injuries or loss of consciousness
- Suspected broken bones or heavy blood loss
- Persistent chest pain or difficulty breathing
- Drug overdose, swallowing foreign bodies or poisoning
