Pharmacy First

To refer yourself to a local pharmacy, please use our Patient Triage online service.

Going to your local pharmacy offers an easy and convenient way to get clinical advice on minor health concerns – you don’t need an appointment and you can be seen in a private consultation room.

They may also be able to offer treatment and some prescription medicine for some conditions, without you needing to see a GP (this is called Pharmacy First).

Conditions they can treat as part of Pharmacy First are:

• Earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
• Impetigo (aged 1 year and over)- a contagious skin infection
• Infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
• Shingles (aged 18 years and over)- infection that causes a painful rash
• Sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)- infection of the sinuses (behind the forehead, cheeks and nose)
• Sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
• Urinary tract infections or UTIs (women aged 16 to 64 years)

The pharmacist will offer you advice, treatment or refer you to a GP or another healthcare professional if needed.

Pharmacies will update your GP health record.

If you are not within these age ranges, a pharmacist can still offer advice, but you may need to see a GP for treatment.

Please note on weekends online self-referral may take longer as the practice is closed and will not look at your assessment until we are open, for quicker response please walk into your local pharmacy.

• Find a local pharmacy
• Refer yourself to a local pharmacy

Information on Hypertension Case Finding Services (HCFS) and Pharmacy

Community pharmacy teams can offer people over the age of 40, without a diagnosis of hypertension, a BP check to find those with undiagnosed hypertension. In addition, they can also carry out BP checks at the request of your GP practice.

There is an NHS website postcode search tool that enables you to find local pharmacies that deliver blood pressure check services.

Contraception Service (PCS)

Community pharmacy teams can provide both the initiation and ongoing supply of oral contraception for individuals from the onset of menstruation through to age 54.

Your GP can refer you into this service or women can self-present at the pharmacy.

There is an NHS website postcode search tool that enables you to find local pharmacies that deliver the contraception service.

Emergency Medicines

If you need a limited supply of prescribed medicine in an emergency, such as if you have run out, lost, or damaged your medication. They cannot help with antibiotics for new or recent problems, or controlled drugs that require identification.

There are two main ways you can request an emergency supply of medicines: Contact NHS 111 via telephone or use the online service here:

• Emergency prescriptions – NHS 111

NHS App

You can use the NHS App to check your symptoms and get instant advice, book appointments, order repeat prescriptions, view your GP medical record and more.

What the NHS App does:

• Get advice about coronavirus – get information about coronavirus and find out what to do if you think you have it.
• Order repeat prescriptions* – see your available medicines, request a new repeat prescription and choose a pharmacy for your prescriptions to be sent to.
• Book appointments* – search for, book and cancel appointments at your GP surgery, and see details of your upcoming and past appointments.
• Check your symptoms – search trusted NHS information and advice on hundreds of conditions and treatments, and get instant advice or medical help near you.
• Register your organ donation decision – choose to donate some or all of your organs and check your registered decision.
• Find out how the NHS uses your data – choose if data from your health records is shared for research and planning.
• View parts of your GP record* – including information about medication, allergies, vaccinations, previous illnesses and test results.

*Where this functionality is configured and / or available at your GP practice.

If you’re a patient at our practice you can use the new NHS App, a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services on your smartphone or tablet. Once you have downloaded the NHS App, please ensure you have enabled your phone to receive notifications. For more information go to www.nhs.uk/nhsapp.

Alternatively you can visit your nearest Hub / Urgent Care centre / Minor Injury Unit:

• Find another local Urgent Care centres / Minor Injuries unit

If you wish to get advice or see a Nurse or Doctor, please visit Appointments.

If you are Croydon resident and are unable to get an urgent appointment at your GP surgery you can call NHS 111 for an assessment of your problem. If you then need to see a GP NHS 111 can book an appointment for you to be seen at one of the  new GP Hubs in Croydon which are open 8:00am-8:00pm 7 days a week 365 days a year. You can also be seen at a GP Hub without an appointment but may have to wait. www.croydongphub.co.uk