Pharmacy First
You can now book an NHS appointment with your local Pharmacy+Health pharmacist.
Get the treatment you need, when you need it.
Pharmacy+Health is changing, to offer you convenient, health appointments. This includes free NHS appointments for a range of common conditions, so if you’re feeling symptoms for:
- Blocked or infected sinuses (over 12’s-adults)
- Sore throat (over 5’s-adults)
- Earache (1-17 yr olds)
- Infected insect bite (over 1’s – adults)
- Impetigo (over 1’s – adults)
- Shingles (over 18’s)
- Urinary tract infection (UTI) (Women 16-64)
Simply book online or call into one of our branches*.
What is NHS Pharmacy First Service?
With GPs under growing pressure, appointments for minor ailments are getting more difficult to book. But don’t worry- help is at hand! You can now access the NHS medical consultations and treatment you need – when you need them at your local Pharmacy+Health .
If you’re registered with a GP and need advice and treatment, even if late at night when the GP surgery is closed, instead you can now go to your local Pharmacy+Health branch.
Pharmacy First Service allows us to offer you easy access to appointments for these 7 common conditions:
Why use our NHS Pharmacy First Service?
Sometimes you have a health problem and your busy life or the thought of trying to make a GP appointment means you might choose not talk to a health-care professional.
Pharmacy+Health provides you with accessible, highly trained healthcare professionals that can see you quickly. Depending on the type of health issue you would like to discuss, book a face-to-face consultation in one of our branches’ private consultation rooms.
Our team of highly trained professionals are qualified to discuss and where appropriate offer medication treatment.
Treatments for conditions
Depending on the consultation, your pharmacist might recommend and supply an appropriate prescription medicine, without the need to get a prescription from your GP.
If accessing your are accessing the Pharmacy First Service you must tell the pharmacist if:
- You are pregnant and/or breastfeeding
- You think you might be pregnant
- Treatments or medications you are taking
- Any allergies that you have
A list of treatment for the 7 common conditions covered by the NHS Pharmacy First Service:
Sinusitis:
- Fluticasone furoate 27.5 micrograms/dose nasal spray (ex: Avamys nasal spray suspension) for treatment of acute sinusitis (rhinosinusitis)
- Mometasone furoate monohydrate 50 micrograms/dose nasal spray for the treatment of acute sinusitis (rhinosinusitis)
- Phenoxymethylpenicillin (penicillin V) tablets/oral solution/oral suspension for the treatment of acute bacterial sinusitis (rhinosinusitis)
- Clarithromycin tablets/oral suspension/oral solution for the treatment of acute bacterial sinusitis (rhinosinusitis)
- Doxycycline capsules/dispersible tablets for the treatment of acute bacterial sinusitis (rhinosinusitis)
- Erythromycin tablets/oral suspension/oral solution for the treatment of acute bacterial sinusitis (rhinosinusitis) in pregnant individuals
Earache (Acute otitis media) :
- Otigo (phenazone 40mg/lidocaine hydrochloride 10mg/g) ear drops, solution for the symptomatic relief of pain due to acute otitis media (AOM)
- Amoxicillin capsules / oral suspension /oral solution for the treatment of acute otitis media (AOM)
- Clarithromycin tablets / oral suspension/ oral solution for the treatment of acute otitis media (AOM)
- Erythromycin tablets / oral suspension/ oral solution for the treatment of acute otitis media (AOM) in pregnant individuals (aged 16 or 17 years) under the NHS England commissioned Pharmacy First Service
Impetigo:
- Topical Hydrogen Peroxide 1% cream (ex: Crystacide 1%) for localised non-bullous impetgo
- Flucloxacillin capsuls/oral solution/oral suspension for the treatment of widespread ballous impetigo
- Clarithromycin tablets/oral suspension/oral solution for the treatment of widespread non-bullous impetigo
- Erythromycin tablets/oral suspension/oral solution for the treatment of widespread non-ballous impetigo
Uncomplicated UTIs:
- Nitrofurantoin 50mg immediate release tablets or capsules
- Nitrofurantoin 100mg modified release capsules
Shingles:
- Aciclovir 200mg – 800mg tablets / dispersible tablets
- Valaciclovir
Infected Insect Bite
- Flucloxacillin capsules / oral solution /oral suspension
- Clarithromycin tablets / oral suspension / oral solution /
- Erythromycin tablets / oral suspension/oral solution
Sore throat:
- Phenoxymethylpenicillin 250mg tablets
- Phenoxymethylpenicillin 125mg – 250mg oral solution or oral suspension
- Clarithromycin 250mg – 500mg tablets / Clarithromycin 125mg/5mL oral suspension (or oral solution)
- Erythromycin 250mg – 500mg tablets or Erythromycin 125mg oral suspension or oral solution
Book an appointment today
Simply choose the branch you’d like to make an appointment with, and then choose the Pharmacy First Service. Pick a time and date that is convenient for you. It couldn’t be simpler!
How it works
Find a service
Find a pharmacy
Book an appointment
Frequently Asked Questions
This Pharmacy First Service gives you the option of visiting your local Pharmacy+Health branch and getting a consultation from our pharmacist for common conditions. Advice is always free and where necessary they can supply medicines. The NHS prescription charge or patient exemption also applies to medicines supplied through the Pharmacy First Service. Those who are exempt from prescription charges for NHS will receive medication free of charge.
Our highly trained pharmacists will provide a confidential consultation and ask patients about their health in our branches’ consultation rooms. Questions may include medical history, allergies, and medicines they are taking, along with a description of the symptoms they are currently experiencing. Patients can also give consent for pharmacists to check patient records to be able to offer the best advice and treatment options.
Some conditions such as earache might require an examination, to which the Pharmacist will ask the patient to examine the ears using an otoscope. Clinical consultation records will be made of the consultation session to be shared with the GP and added to the patient’s medical record. The Pharmacist will advise on lifestyle changes, treatment options, and offer medication in some cases to ensure that the patient is given the best care available.
Our online booking system allows you to select your condition, and book an appointment online within seconds at the nearest Pharmacy+Health to you. You can also use the walk-in service, if you’ve been referred by NHS 111, or your GP surgery staff.
Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection
For women aged 16 to 64 years with suspected lower UTIs
Excluded: pregnant individuals, urinary catheter, recurrent UTI (2 episodes in last 6 months, or 3 episodes in last 12 months)
Shingles
For adults aged 18 years and over
Excluded: pregnant individuals
Impetigo
Non-bullous impetigo, for adults and children aged 1 year and over
Excludes: bullous impetigo, recurrent impetigo (defined as 2 or more episodes in the same year), pregnant individuals under 16 years
Infected Insect Bites
For adults and children aged 1 year and over
Excludes: pregnant individuals under 16 years
Acute Sore Throat
For adults and children aged 5 years and over
Excluded: pregnant individuals under 16 years
Acute Sinusitis
For adults and children aged 12 years and over
Excluded: immunosuppressed individuals, chronic sinusitis (sinusitis that causes symptoms that last for more than 12 weeks), pregnant individuals under 16 years
Ear Ache – Acute Otitis Media
For children aged 1 to 17 years
Excluded: recurrent acute otitis media (3 or more episodes in 6 months or four or more episodes in 12 months), pregnant individuals under 16 years