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Pharmacy First - a service for patients where you don't need a GP appointment!

How pharmacies can help

Advice from a pharmacist

Pharmacists can offer advice on a range of illnesses, such as coughs, colds, sore throats, ear infections and aches and pains. They can also give advice about medicines. This includes how to use your medicine, worries about side effects or any other questions you have. If they cannot help you themselves, they can refer you to a GP or other health professional.

Treatment from a pharmacist

Pharmacists can suggest treatments that do not need a prescription for a range of conditions. Most pharmacies can also offer prescription medicine for some conditions, without you needing to see a GP or make an appointment. This is called Pharmacy First.

Conditions they can offer prescription medicine for are:

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

If you are not within these age ranges, a pharmacist can still offer advice and support decisions about self care treatment with over the counter medicines, but you may need to see a GP for treatment.

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 health professional if needed. They will also update your GP health record, but your information will not be shared with anyone else.

Most pharmacies can provide prescription medicine for these conditions but contact them before visiting to check.

You can search for local pharmcies on the NHS Website, or visit our Horsham Collaborative Primary Care Network page which lists the local pharmcies offering Pharmacy First services.

Disposing of old medicines

If your medicine is out of date or unwanted, do not put it in the bin or flush it down the toilet. Take it to your pharmacy to be disposed of safely.

Help with new medicines

When you start a new medicine for a long term condition you can have up to 3 appointments with a pharmacist to:

  • answer any questions you have
  • help you use the medicine safely
  • make sure that the medicine’s right for you

Getting the contraceptive pill without a prescription

Some pharmacies may offer the contraceptive pill for free without a prescription. If you are aged 18 years or older, you can also buy the progesterone-only pill from most pharmacies.

Emergency contraception

Some pharmacies offer the emergency contraceptive pill for free. If you’re aged 16 or over, you can also buy it from most pharmacies.

Get a free blood pressure check

Some pharmacies offer a free blood pressure check.

More services

Other services that may be available at a local pharmacy include:

  • advice from a pharmacist after contacting NHS 111 or a GP
  • chlamydia screening and treatment
  • advice and help on how to stop smoking
  • cholesterol and blood sugar testing
  • the substance misuse service, including needle and syringe exchange schemes
  • advice and help on how to manage your weight

Ask a local pharmacist to find out what services they offer.


Published on 21st May 2025

Thinking About Weight Loss Injections?

What You Need to Know...

We understand that many people are exploring ways to improve their health and manage their weight. Recently, there has been growing interest in weight loss injections such as Mounjaro, Wegovy and Saxenda. While these medications are being discussed widely, it’s important to know how they are used within the NHS and what support is available locally in West Sussex.

Start Here: Free Local Support

If you are looking to manage your weight, the first step is usually a Tier 2 weight management programme. Locally, this is provided by West Sussex Wellbeing. Their team offers structured support, including advice on nutrition, physical activity, and sustainable lifestyle changes. These programmes are designed to help people lose weight safely and gradually. You can self-refer - there’s no need to see your GP to access this service.

Find out more and refer yourself here

About Weight Loss Injections

There is currently high demand for medications such as Mounjaro (Tirzepatide), Wegovy (Semaglutide) and Saxenda (Liraglutide), but there are very strict NHS rules around when these can be prescribed. 

These medications are not available from general practice for weight loss.

They can only be prescribed:

  • as part of a specialist Tier 3 NHS weight management service, and
  • only if you meet the national criteria, which include:
    • having a high BMI (usually over 35, or 32.5 for certain ethnic groups),
    • having a weight-related health problem (such as high blood pressure or sleep apnoea),
    • having already completed a Tier 2 programme without significant weight loss.

The only exception where GPs may prescribe these medications is for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, and even then only in specific circumstances, for example when two other diabetes medications have failed and the patient is also living with obesity.

If You Are Considering Private Treatment

Some people choose to access these medications privately, either through clinics or online services. While this is a personal choice, it is important to be aware of the following:

If you are receiving weight loss medication privately, your GP cannot take responsibility for your treatment.

We are unable to:

  • provide NHS prescriptions for these medications,
  • offer blood tests, monitoring, or supervision related to their use,
  • manage complications or side effects arising from private prescriptions.

What You Can Do

If you are looking to begin your weight loss journey, we strongly recommend starting with the Tier 2 programme from West Sussex Wellbeing. It is free, supportive, and proven to help.

If you have already completed Tier 2 and have not achieved significant weight loss, you may be eligible for referral to the Tier 3 specialist service. In this case, please contact the practice for a discussion.

We want to support patients to access the right care at the right time. Starting with Tier 2 is the first step toward long-term, sustainable weight management and we are here to help if further steps are needed.


Published on 21st May 2025

Support for people who may have been affected by infected blood

If you had a blood transfusion before 1996, there's a chance you may have been given infected blood. This could mean you were infected with hepatitis C. Today, all blood donated in the UK is screened using very rigorous safety standards and testing to protect both donors and patients. Since screening was introduced, the risk of getting an infection from a blood transfusion or blood products is very low.

Please see the following websites for further information and support:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/support-for-people-who-may-have-been-affected-by-infected-blood/

https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/who-we-are/transparency/infected-blood-inquiry/

 

You can also get a free home test for hepatitis C.


Published on 21st May 2025

Page last reviewed: 27 May 2025
Page created: 07 January 2025