Going to your local pharmacy offers an easy and convenient way to get clinical advice on minor health concerns, and now community pharmacies can offer treatment for seven common conditions without patients needing to see a GP, as part of a major transformation in the way the NHS delivers care.
Highly trained pharmacists at more than nine in ten pharmacies can now assess and treat patients for earache, impetigo, infected insect bites, shingles, sinusitis, sore throat, urinary tract infections (UTIs) for women aged 16-64 - without the need for a GP appointment or prescription.
Community pharmacy teams are highly-skilled, qualified health professionals who have the right clinical training to give people the health advice they need. Patients don't need an appointment and private consultation rooms are available.
Pharmacy teams can also signpost to other relevant local services where necessary. Pharmacists have always helped patients, families and carers in their communities stay healthy and are well placed to offer treatment for health conditions. By expanding the services community pharmacies offer, the NHS is aiming to free up GP appointments and give people more choice in how and where they access care.
These are the conditions, and at what age, you can see the pharmacist about:
- Earache - 1 to 17 years.
- Impetigo - 1 year and over.
- Infected insect bites - 1 year and over.
- Shingles - 18 years and over.
- Sinusitis - 12 years and over.
- Sore throat - 5 years and over.
- Uncomplicated urinary tract infections - women 16-64 years.
The local pharmacies that are currently signed up to this scheme are:
- Asda - Bower Road, Harrogate HG1 5DE.
- Boots Pharmacy - 22-28 Market Place, Knaresborough, HG5 8AG.
- Boots Pharmacy - 26-28 Cambridge Street, Harrogate, HG1 1RX
- Boots Pharmacy - Unit 4a St James Retail Park, Knaresborough, HG5 8PZ.
- Boots Pharmacy - Jenny Field Drive, Harrogate, HG3 2XQ.
- Chain Lane Pharmacy - 2 Chain Lane, Knaresborough, HG5 0DH.
- Cohens Chemist - 2-54 King Edwards Drive, Harrogate, HG1 4HL.
- Day Lewis Pharmacy - 85 Leeds Road, Harrogate, HG2 8BE.
- Pharmacy+Health - 34 High Street, Knaresborough, HG5 0EQ.
- Pharmacy+Health - 154-156 Kings Road, Harrogate, HG1 5HY.
- Pharmacy+Health - 123 Knaresborough Road, Harrogate, HG2 7LY.
Don't wait for minor health concerns to get worse – think pharmacy first and get seen by your local pharmacy team. For more information, visit How pharmacies can help