Pharmacy

Your local pharmacy should be your first stop for minor illnesses, medication advice, and health checks. Many also offer vaccinations, repeat prescriptions, and confidential consultations to get you the right care quickly.

PHOTOGRAPH BY DANIEL JONES 2025 +44 (0)7815 853503 info@danieljonesphotography.co.uk www.danieljonesphotography.co.uk

Pharmacists can give you advice on a range of conditions and suggest medicines that can help. Many pharmacies provide individual consultation rooms giving you a confidential environment to discuss your medication or condition as necessary. Many pharmacies in Essex also open during evenings and on weekends, and usually no appointment is necessary.

They may also be able to offer treatment and some prescription medicine for some conditions, without you needing to see a GP (this is called Pharmacy First).

Important advice:

Conditions they can treat as part of Pharmacy First are:

  • earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
  • impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
  • infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
  • shingles (aged 18 years and over)
  • sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
  • sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
  • urinary tract infections or UTIs (women aged 16 to 64 years)

If you go to a pharmacy with one of these conditions, the pharmacist will offer you advice, treatment or refer you to a GP or other healthcare professional if needed.

They will then update your GP health record.

If you are not within these age ranges, a pharmacist can still offer advice, but you may need to see a GP for treatment.

Important advice:

Referral for other minor illnesses

If appropriate for your clinical needs, your GP or other health services like NHS 111 may also refer you to a pharmacy for advice and treatment for a range of minor illnesses and ailments. This could include things like:

  • Back pain
  • Conjunctivitis
  • Coughs and colds
  • Diarrhoea or constipation
  • Haemorrhoids
  • Hay fever
  • Headaches and migraines
  • Heartburn and indigestion
  • Mild eczema and dermatitis
  • Minor fungal skin infections
  • Minor sprains and strains.

If the pharmacist can’t help, they’ll make sure you’re directed to someone who can provide the right care.

Other services provided by community pharmacies

Community pharmacies can help you with other things too, including advice on medicines, disposing of old medicines and help with new ones. 

You can also find a pharmacy that can help with: 

Find a pharmacy

If you or someone you care for is on regular medication, make sure you know how much medication you have left and plan in advance when you need to order more to avoid a last minute panic.

It’s important to place orders seven days in advance to allow enough time for the pharmacy to assess, make sure they have the right medicines in stock and safely dispense.

If you take medicine regularly you’ll usually have a repeat prescription. This means you can order your medicine when you need it without having to see a GP until your next medicine review.

You might be able to ask your pharmacy for your medicine if your GP has set this up.

Otherwise please remember that you do not need to call your GP practice every time – you can order a repeat prescription by using the NHS app or NHS website.

Video: How pharmacists can help with minor illnesses – BSL version

This is the BSL version of the ‘how pharmacists can help with minor illnesses’ video. Rina, a community pharmacist, is here to explain that your local pharmacist can now provide support for seven conditions without you needing to see a GP first. Your community pharmacist can supply medication, for a number of conditions such as earache, sore throats and UTIs.

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