Over-the-counter medicines

Prescribing of over-the-counter medicines is changing. Your GP, nurse or pharmacist will not generally give you a prescription for over-the-counter medicines for a range of minor health concerns. Instead, over the counter medicines are available to buy in a pharmacy or supermarket in your local community. The team of health professionals at your local pharmacy can offer help and clinical advice to manage minor health concerns and if your symptoms suggest it’s more serious, they’ll ensure you get the care you need. Please help the NHS to use resources sensibly.

Pharmacy First

Community pharmacies can offer treatment and when appropriate some prescription medicine, 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, treat, and when appropriate, provide some prescription medicine for earache (for those aged between 1 and 17), impetigo, infected insect bites, shingles, sinusitis, sore throat, urinary tract infections (UTIs) for women aged 16-64 -without the need for a GP appointment. 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. By expanding the services community pharmacies offer, the NHS is aiming to help free up GP appointments and give people more choice in how and where they access care. 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 Think Pharmacy First

This video was made by the NHS in Fife and explains why reducing medicine waste is so important.

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