“Come to us for UTIs, skin infections and conjunctivitis” say local pharmacists.

Pharmacies across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin are now offering a range of extended services to help people gain access to medical advice and treatment at a place more convenient to them.

The new Community Pharmacy Extended Care Service allows people to visit a local pharmacy instead of their GP practice for a range of minor illnesses. A list of participating pharmacies can be found here.

The service offers treatment for women aged between 16 and 64 with simple urinary tract infections (UTIs), children aged from three months to two years who present with acute bacterial conjunctivitis, as well as infections including impetigo, infected eczema and infected insect bites.

Nigel Dugmore, Community Pharmacist from Donnington, said: “The new service allows people to walk into their local participating pharmacy and seek advice and treatment from a qualified healthcare professional without an appointment or waiting time. In a busy pharmacy like ours, patients may need to wait 5 or 10 minutes.

“We are very pleased to be able to help people get the medical help they need quickly, easily and more locally too.

“The initiative helps to relieve pressure on GP practices, as we can help patients with minor ailments and healthcare concerns. This helps to keep appointments available for patients who need to see a doctor and reduce the pressure on local A&Es.

“The service is already proving popular at our pharmacy in Donnington, and we see about 70 patients every month – supplying them with antibiotics and over-the-counter medicines to help treat the infection.

“Clinical pharmacists are highly trained medical professionals and can help people with minor health concerns. They offer clinical advice, over-the-counter medicines, and most pharmacies have a private consultation room where you can discuss issues in private.

“People needn’t be embarrassed when consulting a pharmacist. We treat everyone in a professional manner and have experience of a wide range of common ailments.”

To find out more about the new pharmacy services, please click here. To find a local pharmacy near you providing these services, click here.