Think pharmacy first

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A person is standing outside a pharmacy looking uncomfortable. The sign above the pharmacy reads 'My sinuses are painful pharmacy' A lower third box features in the bottom on the image. Text in the box reads: 'Think pharmacy first. Subject to age eligibility, including 12 years and over for sinusitis prescription medicine. Service available at majority of pharmacies.'

Your pharmacist can provide treatment or some prescription medicine, if needed, for seven common conditions, without you seeing a GP.

Highly trained pharmacists can assess, treat, and if needed, provide some prescription medicine sinusitis (aged 12 years and over), sore throat (aged 5 years and over), earache (aged 1 to 17 years), infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over), impetigo (aged 1 year and over), shingles (aged 18 years and over) and urinary tract infections (UTIs) (women aged 16 to 64 years), without needing to see a GP.

Your pharmacist can also provide you with oral contraception, without a prescription or the need to see a GP.

Available at the heart of local communities, community pharmacy teams have the right clinical training to give people the health advice they need, with no appointment necessary and private consultations available. Community pharmacists will signpost patients to other local services where necessary.

Think pharmacy first and get seen by your local pharmacy team.

For more information, visit nhs.uk/thinkpharmacyfirst