You can use NHS Pharmacy First Scotland if you are registered with a GP practice in Scotland or you live in Scotland. You can speak to a pharmacist at one of our community pharmacies (KJ Macdonald’s, Boots, or Back Pharmacy) and ask for advice.
This is often a quicker option than waiting to speak to a GP and then waiting for a prescription to go to your chemist for collection. If you require medication for your condition and it falls under one of the categories below, you will receive this on the NHS and you will not be charged. If you would prefer to speak to someone in private you can ask for this when you attend the chemist.
If you have a minor illness, a pharmacy is the first place you should go for advice.
You do not usually need an appointment and you can go to any pharmacy.
Your pharmacist can give you advice for a minor illness, and medicine if they think you need it.
A pharmacist can give you advice and treatment (if you need it) for minor illnesses such as the following.
- Acne
- Allergies
- Athlete’s Foot
- Backache
- Blocked or runny nose
- Cold sores
- Constipation
- Cough
- Cystitis ((for women aged 16-65, no severe symptoms including back pain or lasting >7 days, not pregnant or breastfeeding, not on prophylactic antibiotics and not recurring (1 in last month or 3+ in 12 months))
- Diarrhoea
- Earache
- Eczema
- Emergency contraception
- Headache
- Head lice
- Haemorrhoids (piles)
- Hay fever
- Impetigo
- Indigestion
- Mouth ulcers
- Smoking Cessation
- Sore throat
- Pain
- Period pain
- Threadworms
- Thrush
- Warts
- Verrucas
Pharmacists, like GPs, can only provide certain medicines and products on the NHS. All of these are proven to be effective for treating your condition. If you want a specific medicine or product, you may need to buy it. The pharmacist will give you advice on this.
