Common Ailments You Can Ask Your Pharmacist About Without Seeing a GP

If you have a minor health problem, you may be able to receive free NHS advice and treatment from your community pharmacist without first seeing a GP.

The NHS Common Ailments Service in Wales covers 27 conditions, including sore throats, hay fever, bacterial conjunctivitis, threadworms, common skin problems and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in eligible patients.

At Tynewydd Pharmacy, consultations are confidential and take place in a private consultation room. You do not need a GP referral.

The quick answer

A pharmacist can assess your symptoms and recommend the safest next step. Depending on the assessment, this may include:

• Advice about managing the condition at home
• Suitable treatment supplied free through the NHS
• Advice to purchase an appropriate treatment
• Referral to another healthcare professional when necessary

Different conditions have different age limits and clinical criteria. You do not need to diagnose the problem yourself before contacting us.

Tynewydd Pharmacy offers walk-in consultations during our opening hours. You can also telephone 01443 771782 or book a consultation online.

If your condition is not shown in the online booking menu, please call us or visit the pharmacy.

If your condition is not shown in the online booking menu, please call us or visit the pharmacy.

Crynodeb Cymraeg

Yng Nghymru, gallwch gael ymgynghoriad GIG cyfrinachol am ddim gyda fferyllydd ar gyfer 27 o gyflyrau cyffredin. Mae'r rhain yn cynnwys dolur gwddf, clefyd y gwair, llid yr amrannau bacteriol, problemau croen, llindag, llau pen, llyngyr edau a rhai heintiau'r llwybr wrinol.

Bydd y fferyllydd yn asesu eich symptomau ac yn esbonio'r cam mwyaf priodol. Os yw triniaeth yn addas, gellir ei darparu am ddim drwy'r GIG. Gall y fferyllydd hefyd roi cyngor hunanofal neu eich cyfeirio at wasanaeth arall os oes angen.

Nid oes angen atgyfeiriad gan eich meddyg teulu. Mae meini prawf oedran a chlinigol yn amrywio rhwng cyflyrau.

Mae'r gwasanaeth ar gael yn Tynewydd Pharmacy yn ystod ein horiau agor. Gallwch alw heibio, ffonio 01443 771782, neu drefnu apwyntiad ar-lein.

What is the NHS Common Ailments Service?

The Common Ailments Service is part of the NHS Wales Clinical Community Pharmacy Service. It gives eligible patients convenient access to advice and treatment for a defined range of common health problems.

During a private consultation, the pharmacist will ask about:

• Your symptoms and how long you have had them
• Your medical history
• Medicines you already use
• Allergies
• Treatments you have already tried
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding, where relevant

The pharmacist will then explain what they think is the safest and most appropriate course of action. This may be treatment, self-care advice, monitoring or referral for another assessment.

Which conditions are covered?

The current All-Wales formulary covers 27 ailments. We have grouped them below to make the list easier to use.

Skin, nail and viral conditions

• Acne
• Athlete's foot
• Chickenpox in children under 14
• Cold sores
• Dry skin, contact dermatitis and atopic eczema
• Ingrowing toenails
• Ringworm, fungal infection of the groin and intertrigo
• Scabies
• Warts and verrucae

Several skin conditions can look similar. The pharmacist will ask where the problem is, what it looks and feels like, and how long it has been present before recommending treatment.

Eye conditions

• Bacterial conjunctivitis
• Dry eye

Not every red or uncomfortable eye is conjunctivitis. Eye pain, sensitivity to light, changes in vision, an eye injury, or a painful red eye in someone who wears contact lenses may require prompt assessment elsewhere.

Digestive conditions

• Constipation
• Diarrhoea
• Indigestion
• Haemorrhoids
• Infantile colic

The pharmacist will consider your age, symptoms, medicines and how long the problem has been present. Persistent symptoms, bleeding, severe pain or signs of dehydration may require further assessment.

Mouth and throat conditions

• Mouth ulcers
• Oral thrush
• Sore throat
• Teething

For a sore throat, the pharmacist may offer a clinical assessment and, when indicated and available, a point-of-care test. This can help determine whether treatment is appropriate.

Allergies, lice and worms

• Hay fever
• Head lice
• Threadworm

The pharmacist can advise on treatment and practical steps to relieve symptoms, prevent reinfection or reduce spread within the household.

Acute back pain

The Common Ailments pathway for acute back pain is intended for people aged from 16 to under 50 who meet the clinical criteria.

New weakness, numbness around the groin, difficulty controlling the bladder or bowels, significant injury or severe unexplained pain requires urgent medical assessment.

Nappy rash

The pharmacist can assess nappy rash and advise on skin care and treatment. A baby who appears significantly unwell, has a spreading rash or has broken or infected-looking skin may need another assessment.

Vaginal thrush

The pharmacist can assess symptoms that may be caused by vaginal thrush and provide treatment when appropriate.

Symptoms can overlap with other infections. Unusual, recurrent or persistent symptoms may require assessment by another healthcare professional.

Urinary tract infections

The standard Common Ailments pathway covers lower, uncomplicated urinary tract infections in people aged 16 to 64 who were assigned female at birth and have female genitalia, provided they are not pregnant or using a urinary catheter.

Possible symptoms include:

• Pain or burning when passing urine
• Passing urine more often or more urgently
• Cloudy urine
• Lower abdominal discomfort

Fever, pain in the back or side, vomiting, pregnancy, visible blood in the urine or feeling significantly unwell may indicate that a different or more urgent assessment is needed.

At Tynewydd Pharmacy, selected patients with more complicated or persistent urinary symptoms may be assessed through our separate NHS pharmacist-prescribing service. Where clinically necessary, we can arrange laboratory testing of a midstream urine sample.

Is the consultation free?

Yes. The Common Ailments consultation is provided free through NHS Wales.

When a treatment included within the service is clinically appropriate, it can also be supplied free of charge. In some cases, advice or referral will be more appropriate than medication.

Who can use the service?

The service is intended for people who live in Wales and certain people staying in Wales. We will check your eligibility when you contact or attend the pharmacy.

Each ailment has its own age limits, treatment criteria and exclusions. For example, the standard back-pain pathway is restricted to people aged from 16 to under 50, while the chickenpox pathway applies to children under 14.

If you are unsure whether the service is suitable for you or your child, contact us. You do not need to work through the criteria yourself.

Do I need an appointment?

You do not normally need an appointment or a GP referral.

Walk-in consultations are available during our usual opening hours, although there may be a wait if the pharmacist is already with another patient.

You can book ahead if you want a particular time. If your condition is not displayed in the online booking menu, please telephone us or visit the pharmacy rather than choosing an unrelated appointment type.

What if my condition is not covered?

The Common Ailments Service has a defined national list, but it is not the only clinical service available at Tynewydd Pharmacy.

Our NHS pharmacist-prescribing service may be able to assess a broader range of new or worsening problems. Depending on your age, symptoms and clinical circumstances, these may include:

• Ear complaints
• Coughs and chest infections
• Sinusitis
• Skin infections, shingles, insect bites and stings
• Urinary symptoms outside the standard Common Ailments pathway
• Gout
• Some women's health and contraception needs

You may receive treatment, self-care advice, safety-netting or referral following the assessment.

If you are unsure which service is right for you, simply describe your symptoms to our team. We will help you arrange the most appropriate consultation or advise if another healthcare service would be better suited to your needs.

When should I seek urgent help?

The Common Ailments Service is not intended for medical emergencies.

Call 999 for symptoms such as:

• Severe difficulty breathing
• Severe chest pain
• Signs of a stroke
• A severe allergic reaction
• Collapse or loss of consciousness
• Heavy or uncontrolled bleeding

For urgent health advice when it is not a life-threatening emergency, contact NHS 111 Wales by calling 111.

If the pharmacist identifies a warning sign during your consultation, they will explain where you should seek further care and how quickly you need to do so.

Why ask your community pharmacist?

Community pharmacists are qualified healthcare professionals with expertise in medicines and the assessment of common health problems.

More than 462,000 Common Ailments consultations were provided by community pharmacies in Wales between April 2024 and March 2025. The most frequent reasons included sore throats, hay fever, bacterial conjunctivitis, dry skin and dermatitis, and threadworms.

The service gives patients another way to access appropriate NHS care close to home. Most importantly, you are not expected to diagnose the condition yourself before asking for help.

Ask Tynewydd Pharmacy about a common ailment

Tynewydd Pharmacy provides the NHS Common Ailments Service for patients in Tynewydd, Treherbert, Treorchy and the wider Rhondda.

You can:

• Visit the pharmacy during our opening hours
• Telephone 01443 771782
• Book a consultation online
• Ask our team which consultation would be most suitable

No GP referral is required.

If your condition is not displayed in the online booking menu, please call or visit us. We would rather you ask than delay getting appropriate advice.

If your condition is not shown in the online booking menu, please call us or visit the pharmacy.