Patients across South Yorkshire are now able to get treatment for seven common conditions at their high street pharmacy without needing to see a GP, as part of a major transformation in the way the NHS delivers care.
Highly trained pharmacists will be able to assess and treat patients for sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women (under the age of 65) without the need for an appointment or prescription.
If you have symptoms of one of these conditions, you can be referred to your local pharmacy from your GP practice or NHS 111, or you can walk into your local pharmacy at a time that is convenient for you, without making an appointment and be seen by the pharmacist.
You will be offered a consultation. Should the pharmacy team be unable to help, you will be directed to your GP surgery or other appropriate healthcare setting or A&E as appropriate.
Dr David Crichton, Chief Medical Officer at NHS South Yorkshire, said:
“We welcome the new Pharmacy First service which has seen excellent take up from our community pharmacies across South Yorkshire. The service will help improve access to healthcare across our area and will enable local people to an alternative, quick and convenient option, for minor illnesses without the need to visit their GP practice.
“It will also support our primary care services who are working hard to provide the most appropriate and timely care for their patients across communities.”
The major expansion of pharmacy services will give the public choice in where and how they access care, aiming to free up 10 million GP appointments a year nationally.
The scheme is part of the NHS and Government’s primary care access recovery plan, which committed to making accessing healthcare easier for millions of people.
People can find their local NHS pharmacy at: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/pharmacy/find-a-pharmacy