Full list of health conditions you don't need a GP appointment to get a prescription for View Image

As the cold and flu season arrives, waiting lists for GP appointments may become harder to navigate. But the NHS is encouraging people with certain conditions to head straight for their local pharmacy instead of being caught in the backlog.

Pharmacists are trained medical professionals and are able to give advice, some referrals and dispense not just over-the-counter treatments but also specific prescription medication for minor illnesses without the need for a GP appointment first.

Conditions pharmacists can offer prescription medicine for are:

Impetigo (aged one year and over)

Infected insect bites (aged one year and over)

Earache (aged one to 17 years)

Sore throat (aged five

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