See a pharmacist first for seven common conditions
NHS Pharmacy First lets a pharmacist assess and, where it is appropriate, treat seven common conditions without a GP appointment or a referral. You are seen in a private consultation room, and the pharmacist can supply certain prescription medicines under an NHS protocol. There is no charge for the consultation.
Check the service covers you before you book
Each of the seven conditions has its own age range, set nationally by the NHS.
- Earache, ages 1 to 17
- Impetigo, age 1 and over
- Infected insect bites, age 1 and over
- Shingles, age 18 and over
- Sinusitis, age 12 and over
- Sore throat, age 5 and over
- Urinary tract infection, women aged 16 to 64
Matching an age range is not the same as being treated. The pharmacist also asks about pregnancy, allergies, other conditions and recent antibiotics, and follows the NHS pathway for your symptoms. If the service cannot cover you, the pharmacy can still give advice, arrange an urgent supply of a regular medicine, or tell you who to see instead.
What happens at the appointment
Arrive and check in
Give your name at the counter. Bring a list of your regular medicines if you have one, and the details of the person being seen if you are bringing a child.
A private consultation
The pharmacist takes you into the consultation room and asks about your symptoms, how long you have had them, what you have already tried and your medical history.
Assessment against the NHS pathway
Each of the seven conditions has an NHS clinical pathway setting out when treatment is appropriate. The pharmacist works through it with you and explains what they find.
Treatment or a clear next step
Where the criteria are met, the pharmacist can supply treatment, including certain prescription medicines. Where they are not, you are told exactly who to see and how soon.
Your GP practice is told
The pharmacy sends a record of the consultation to your GP practice, so what happened is in your notes.
Where you can get this
Questions people ask
Is Pharmacy First free?
The consultation is an NHS service and there is no charge for it. If the pharmacist supplies a medicine, the usual NHS prescription charge applies unless you are exempt, in the same way it would at any pharmacy. You are told what you will pay before anything is handed over.
Do I need an appointment?
No. Pharmacy First is a walk-in service. Booking a time simply means the pharmacist is expecting you, which is worth doing at busy periods such as lunchtime and after school, when you might otherwise wait for the pharmacist to be free.
Will I definitely get antibiotics?
No, and that is deliberate. The NHS pathways set out when treatment helps and when it does not, and several of the seven conditions get better on their own. The pharmacist may recommend self care instead, and will tell you what should bring you back.
What happens if the pharmacist cannot treat me?
You are told who to see instead and how quickly, whether that is your GP practice, NHS 111, a dentist or A&E. The pharmacist can contact your practice on your behalf where the situation calls for it, rather than leaving you to start again.
Can I bring my child?
Yes, for the conditions where children are covered: earache from 1 to 17, impetigo and infected insect bites from age 1, sore throat from age 5 and sinusitis from age 12. A parent or someone with parental responsibility should come to the appointment.
Do I have to be registered with the pharmacy?
No. You do not register with a pharmacy the way you register with a GP practice, and you can use any pharmacy offering the service. You will be asked which practice you are registered with so that the consultation can be added to your record.
Is the consultation private?
Yes. The conversation happens in a consultation room with a door, not across the counter, and it is treated with the same confidentiality as any other NHS consultation.
Where this information comes from
Other services
Book at a participating pharmacy
Your care is delivered by the pharmacy, not by WalkInClinics. The pharmacy team checks your eligibility before the appointment goes ahead.