Over The Counter Medications
Prescribing of over the counter medicines is changing
Your GP, nurse or pharmacist will not generally give you a prescription for over the counter medicines for a range of short-term, minor health concerns. Instead, over the counter medicines are available to buy in a pharmacy or supermarket in your local community.
Many pharmacies are open during evenings and weekends, so they are a convenient place to get health advice instead of waiting for a GP appointment. Almost all pharmacies have a private consultation room. You can find your nearest pharmacy and get advice and information on how to treat a range of common ailments by visiting www.nhs.uk
GPs, nurses or pharmacists will also generally no longer prescribe probiotics and some vitamins and minerals. You can get these from eating a healthy, varied and balanced diet, or buy them at your pharmacy or supermarket.
Self-Care of Common Illnesses
The team of qualified healthcare professionals at your local pharmacy can offer clinical advice to safely and effectively manage minor health concerns. This includes:
| Athletes foot Acute sore throat Antihistamines Conjunctivitis Coughs, colds and nasal congestion Cradle cap Dandruff Diarrhoea (adults) Dry eyes / sore tired eyes Earwax Excessive sweating Haemorrhoids Head lice Indigestion and heartburn Infant colic Infrequent cold sores of the lip Infrequent constipation Infrequent migraine Insect bites and stings | Mild acne Minor burns and scalds Mild cystitis Mild dry skin Mild irritant dermatitis Mild to moderate hay fever Minor pain, discomfort and fever Mouth ulcers Nappy rash Oral thrush Prevention of tooth decay Ringworm Sunburn Sun protection Teething and mild toothache Threadworms Travel sickness Warts and verrucae |
Be Prepared
Check your medicine cabinet and make sure you have the following basics to hand when you need them. Any out-of-date medicines should be returned to your pharmacy.
- Painkillers (tablets and liquids), such as paracetamol or ibuprofen
- Antihistamines for allergies
- Rub-on painkilling gel
- Oral rehydration sachets
- Indigestion remedies
- Laxatives
- Anti-diarrhoea medicine
- Cream or spray to treat insect bites, stings, cuts and grazes
- Plasters and dressings
By keeping a selection of essential medications at home you can treat common conditions in a timely manner, avoid unnecessary trips to see your doctor or visits to A&E. For more information visit the NHS website www.nhs.uk/OTCmedicines