6 Conditions Your Pharmacist Can Treat Without a GP Appointment

Written by the Veritas Pharmacy clinical team. Address: 113 Chester Road, Sunderland. Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council, registration number 9012617.

Booking a GP appointment for a sore throat or a bothersome insect bite can mean days of waiting for something that needs treating now. NHS Pharmacy First changes that for six common conditions at Veritas — assessed and treated by a pharmacist directly, free, on the same day, with no GP referral needed. Ear infections, the seventh condition covered by the national scheme, aren’t currently offered on the NHS pathway at Veritas, but are available privately without the scheme’s usual restrictions.

What Pharmacy First actually is

Pharmacy First is an NHS England scheme covering seven common conditions nationally, allowing pharmacists to assess and treat them directly, without needing to contact a GP first. At Veritas, six of these are currently offered on the free NHS pathway. Clinical advice and treatment, where appropriate, are provided in a single visit. The service is free to any patient registered with an NHS GP in England — not just patients registered locally.

The six NHS-funded conditions covered

Sore throat — assessed using a standardised clinical tool (FeverPAIN or Centor score) to determine if treatment is needed. Sinusitis — blocked or painful sinuses lasting over 10 days, often following a cold. Urinary tract infection — for women aged 16 to 64 with uncomplicated symptoms. Impetigo — a contagious bacterial skin infection with sores and crusting. Shingles — a painful rash from chickenpox virus reactivation, where early treatment matters considerably. Infected insect bite — where the bite site shows redness, warmth, swelling, or pus.

Ear infections — available privately, without the usual restrictions

Ear infection is the seventh condition covered by the national NHS Pharmacy First scheme, but it isn’t currently offered on the free NHS pathway at Veritas. It is available privately instead — and, unlike the NHS pathway elsewhere, without age restrictions, so it’s open to patients of any age rather than a limited eligible group. An ear check to assess for earwax is free of charge. Where an infection is suspected and assessment or treatment is needed, this is a private consultation priced at £35.

What happens at the appointment

A short clinical history is taken and symptoms assessed using standardised tools where relevant. Where clinically appropriate, a prescription-only medicine is supplied under a Patient Group Direction. With consent, a consultation summary is shared with the registered GP afterwards, keeping the medical record up to date without any extra effort required.

Frequently asked questions about Pharmacy First

Related reading: Pharmacy First at Veritas Pharmacy · New Medicine Service · Urine Test, for wider urinary concerns · Private pharmacist consultation · More Pharmacy First articles