Pharmacy First Service: Sore Throat Treatment

Faster, more convenient NHS care without the need to visit your GP.

Pharmacy First

Pharmacy First is a revolutionary healthcare service designed to provide immediate access to essential clinical treatments without the need for a GP appointment.

At Palmers Pharmacy we understand the value of your time and well-being, and that’s why we are excited to offer this convenient alternative.

We can provide prescription-only medicine free of charge under the NHS across various age ranges for the following conditions:

Clinical pathway	Age range
Acute otitis media*	1 to 17 years
Impetigo	1 year and over
Infected insect bites	1 year and over
Shingles	18 years and over
Sinusitis	12 years and over
Sore throat	5 years and over
Uncomplicated urinary tract infections	Women 16-64 years

Patients will be able to access the 7 clinical pathways element via referrals from referring organisations including general practice, urgent and emergency care settings, and NHS 111 (online and via telephone). In addition, for the 7 common conditions clinical pathway consultations only, patients can access the service by attending or contacting the pharmacy directly without the need for referral.

Sore Throat Treatment

Sore throats are very common and usually get better themselves within a week. From 31st January, as part of the new NHS Pharmacy First service, our pharmacist will be able to provide additional treatment options for severe sore throats (patients 5 years and over). Sore throat symptoms include:

a painful throat, especially when swallowing
a dry, scratchy throat
redness in the back of your mouth
bad breath
a mild cough
swollen neck glands

Our pharmacist can provide you with advice and treatment to help manage your symptoms.

Sore Throat Treatment
Depending on the severity of symptoms, sore throat treatment can be managed at home. You can:

gargle with warm, salty water (children should not try this)
drink plenty of water
eat cool or soft foods
avoid smoking or smoky places
suck ice cubes, ice lollies or hard sweets – but do not give young children anything small and hard to suck because of the risk of choking
rest

Severe symptoms can be a sign of a bacterial infection which may require the pharmacist to supply antibiotics.

If you are experiencing symptoms of a sore throat, call or visit our pharmacy for advice, no appointment necessary.

Causes of sore throats
Sore throats are usually caused by viruses (like cold or flu) or from smoking. Very occasionally they can be caused by bacteria.

A sore throat can also be caused by laryngitis, tonsillitis, strep throat (a bacterial throat infection) or glandular fever.

Visit Palmers Pharmacy for Pharmacy First

Say goodbye to appointment wait times and embrace the convenience of Pharmacy First at Palmers Pharmacy. Your health deserves priority – visit us today for swift, professional care.