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Pharmacy First
Don’t wait for minor health concerns to get worse – think pharmacy first and get seen by your local pharmacy team.
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.
Your pharmacist can now provide treatment or some prescription medicine, if needed, for 7 common conditions, without you seeing a GP.
There are more than 90 pharmacies across Cornwall that can offer medical advice and help with these health conditions:
- earache (age 1 to 17)
- impetigo, a skin infection (age 1 and over)
- infected insect bite (age 1 and over)
- shingles (age 18 and over)
- sinusitis (age 12 and over)
- sore throat (age 5 and over)
- uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) or cystitis in women (age 16 to 64)
For these conditions, pharmacists will follow a robust clinical pathway which includes self-care and safety-netting advice and, only if appropriate, supplying a restricted set of prescription only medicines without the need to visit a GP.
Prescription charges will apply. If you are exempt from prescription charges, for example if you are under 16 or over 60, or if you have a prescription prepayment certificate, you will not pay for the medicine.
Our community pharmacists can also offer treatment for mild skin conditions and, in adults, migraine and vaginal thrush.
They can provide help and advice on a wide range of symptoms and other minor illnesses, including hay fever, acne, dry skin, mouth ulcers and indigestion.
You don’t need an appointment, and most pharmacies have a private consulting room where you can discuss your symptoms.
Emergency supply service
Community pharmacists can arrange an emergency supply of most medicines to tide you over if you forget to renew your prescription or bring your repeat medication on holiday.
This service enables community pharmacies to supply your regular repeat medication when your GP practice is closed. The pharmacist will be able to tell you if they can make an emergency supply using this service and explain your options if they cannot.
Please note that the emergency supply service is only available for UK registered patients. Controlled drugs like pregabalin and gabapentin are excluded from this service.
Visitors who have had a regular prescription issued by an EEA or Swiss prescriber may be able to obtain a private (chargeable) emergency supply.
What else can a pharmacy offer?
Pharmacies offer a range of health services, including access to stopping smoking, sexual health and alcohol support services. They may also provide a flu vaccination service, contraception service, chlamydia screening, pregnancy testing and NHS health checks. These services could all save you a trip to your GP surgery!
Blood pressure check service
All adults over 40 years old are advised to have their blood pressure checked at least every 5 years. Getting this done is easy and could save your life. High blood pressure (also known as hypertension) rarely has noticeable symptoms, but if untreated it increases your risk of serious problems such as heart attacks and strokes.
Prescriptions ordered in haste, can cause waste!
Unwanted medicines that are returned to the pharmacy must be destroyed, even if they have not been opened, and cannot be reused.
There is no need to order medicines just in case. If you run out of your medicines, you simply need to visit your GP or local pharmacy. Pharmacies receive deliveries of medicines every day.
Like food, medicines go out of date. Never take a medicine which is past its use by date. Never dispose of your medicine in the bin, or down the toilet. Please return unused medicine to your dispensing GP or pharmacy.
Talk to your GP or pharmacist if you:
- are not taking your medicines exactly as prescribed
- are unsure how to take them properly
- want to stop, or have already stopped taking a medicine on your prescription
- are concerned about the side effects
- are unsure why you are taking a medicine
- feel any of your medicines are not working
Ask your GP or pharmacist for a medicines review if you are unsure or if you need help to take your medicines.