Minor ailments can be dealt with quickly and easily by your local community pharmacy.
A pharmacist can give confidential, expert advice and treatment for some common illnesses and complaints, without you seeing your GP or going to an emergency department.
Full details of the wide range of healthcare services available to you, including the sort of issues and problems each area will be able to assist you with, are available here
Pharmacy First Service
Community pharmacies across Northern Ireland will provide a Pharmacy First service again this winter, encouraging patients to contact their local chemist for help with everyday health conditions, including common winter ailments.
The Pharmacy First service enables patients to have a consultation virtually or in a private area with their local community pharmacist. Each month over 10,000 consultations for minor ailments take place in our community pharmacies.
Many common winter conditions can potentially be self-managed. These often require little or no medical intervention. Many people who consult GPs for common conditions could instead be assisted by a community pharmacist.
Pharmacists can offer advice and treatment for a wide range of common conditions. These include winter health conditions like common colds to everyday health conditions such as head lice, athlete’s foot, diarrhea and hemorrhoids. If necessary, pharmacists can refer patients to other healthcare professionals as appropriate.
Patients can call into a community pharmacy for a consultation, but for infection control purposes, it is preferable if they ring the pharmacy first for advice. They can then have a consultation with the pharmacist over the phone, a video call or go to the pharmacy in person.
Remote consultations will also be available for those who are vulnerable, and those isolating due to COVID-19, who are unable to get medical advice for winter and COVID care.