When Can Your Pharmacy Help You?

By visiting your pharmacy instead of a GP you could save yourself time and trouble - no need to book an appointment, just walk in.  This also helps reduce the pressure on your GP practice.

Pharmacists can recognise and treat many common illnesses.  They can give advice and where appropriate recommend over-the-counter medicines.

Your pharmacy can provide you with confidential, expert advice and treatment for a range of common ailments and concerns, including:

• Helping you to decide if you need to see a GP or other health service

• Coughs and colds

• Giving sexual health and contraception advice, including the morning after pill

• Mild skin conditions such as acne and eczema

• Bruises, sunburn and minor burns

• Constipation and piles (haemorrhoids)

• Hay fever, dry eyes and allergies (including bites/stings)

• Aches and pains including earache, headache, back pain and toothache

• Vomiting, heartburn, indigestion and diarrhoea

• Conjunctivitis, cold sores and mouth ulcers

• Warts and verrucas

• Head lice

Many pharmacies are open late, on weekends and there are always some open over Bank Holidays.  Check your local NHS website for details of opening times or call NHS 111 at any time.