This Ask Your Pharmacist Week (3-10 November), people in Birmingham, Black Country and Solihull are being reminded to speak to their local pharmacist for any health advice this winter.

Ask Your Pharmacist Week is an annual initiative organised by the National Pharmacy Association, which aims to raise awareness of the full range of services on offer in pharmacies.

This year’s theme is ‘Ask your pharmacist: NHS services closer to home’, encouraging people to make better use of their local pharmacist – not just for prescriptions, but for advice, support, and everyday health concerns.

At a time when the NHS is preparing for what is expected to be a challenging winter, people are being reminded of this vital line of support that is available in their local pharmacy.

Patients can also get treatment for minor illnesses and seven common conditions directly from their local pharmacy, without the need to visit a GP. The Pharmacy First service enables pharmacists to offer advice to patients and supply NHS medicines (including antibiotics), where clinically appropriate, for:

  • Sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
  • Sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
  • Earache (aged 1 year to 17 years)
  • Infected insect bite (aged 1 year and over)
  • Impetigo - a bacterial skin infection (aged 1 year and over)
  • Shingles (aged 18 years and over)
  • Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women (women aged 16 years to 64 years).

If you have symptoms that suggest you may have one of these conditions, you can walk into a pharmacy and be offered a consultation with the pharmacist. Should the pharmacy team be unable to help, you will be directed to your GP surgery or A&E as appropriate.

The NHS has created a video with local pharmacist, Salman Ahmad, talking about the Pharmacy First scheme.

Salman said: “Ask Your Pharmacist Week is a great opportunity for us to highlight the important role pharmacists play in helping people to stay well, especially as we head into the winter months.

“As experts in medicine, pharmacists can help you with almost any health concerns you may have, whether that's providing treatment on the spot or signposting you to the right alternative NHS service.

“And, with the new Pharmacy First scheme, community pharmacists can now supply prescription-only medicines where clinically appropriate to help with seven common health conditions which would previously have required a GP appointment.

“It’s vital that people seek medical advice in order to stay safe and well so please don’t wait for minor illnesses to get worse – think pharmacy first and visit your local pharmacy today.”

Sukhy Somal, Black Country ICS Head of Community Pharmacy Clinical Services, said “ I would encourage patients to seek treatment, healthcare and medicines advice from their pharmacists first.  They are experts in medicine and have great accessibility.  Pharmacists across Birmingham, Black Country and Solihull want to support patients to get through this winter safe and healthy.”

Find information about the Pharmacy First scheme in Birmingham and Solihull.