Not every health problem needs a GP appointment. A growing number of medicines have been moved from prescription-only to pharmacy (P) medicines. That means a trained pharmacist can sell them to you directly after a short consultation, either in person or through a pharmacist-led online service like Pharmica's.
Here are five common treatments you can get this way, with no prescription or GP referral needed, plus who each one is suitable for.
No prescription doesn't mean no check. Expect a few quick questions to make sure the medicine is right for you.
1. Heartburn and acid reflux relief
Omeprazole 20mg is available as a pharmacy medicine, under brand names like Pyrocalm Control. It's for the short-term treatment of reflux symptoms, such as heartburn and acid coming back up, in adults. You take it once a day for up to 14 days.1
It works differently to a simple antacid. Rather than neutralising acid that's already there, it reduces how much acid your stomach makes in the first place.
Occasional heartburn doesn't usually need a GP visit, and a pharmacist can advise on dosing and whether omeprazole is right for you.2 Symptoms haven't cleared after the 14-day course, or keep coming back once you stop? That's the point to see a GP, rather than buying another pack.
Over 55 with new or changed symptoms, trouble swallowing or unexplained weight loss? See a GP before treating it yourself.
Omeprazole is available from Pharmica alongside other reflux treatments.
2. Migraine relief
Sumatriptan 50mg tablets can be bought from a pharmacy without a prescription. But only if a doctor has already diagnosed you with migraine.3
The pharmacist will ask about your migraine history before selling it. That's because sumatriptan isn't suitable for everyone, including people with certain heart conditions or uncontrolled high blood pressure.
It's also why a first migraine, or any headache that feels different from your usual pattern, should be checked by your GP first. Once you've been diagnosed, though, sumatriptan gives you a quick way to treat future attacks, without waiting for an appointment each time.
Get aura before your migraines? Wait until the headache itself starts before you take sumatriptan.
3. Hay fever relief
Since 2018, NHS guidance in England has said GPs shouldn't routinely prescribe treatments for mild to moderate hay fever. That includes antihistamines, steroid nasal sprays and eye drops, which are now treated as self-care items you buy yourself.4
Non-drowsy antihistamines such as cetirizine, loratadine and fexofenadine are all available without a prescription. A pharmacist can help you choose one, depending on whether you need to stay alert during the day.5
If your hay fever starts around the same time every year, it's worth having treatment ready before your usual season begins, rather than waiting until symptoms are already bad. Antihistamines are available directly, with no GP visit needed.
Symptoms not improving, or getting worse, despite pharmacy treatment? That's when a GP appointment is worth it.
4. Cold sore treatment
Aciclovir cream, sold under brand names like Zovirax, is a pharmacy medicine for cold sores caused by the herpes simplex virus. It works best when you apply it at the very first tingle or itch, before a blister forms.6
Apply a thin layer five times a day, roughly every four hours, for at least four days. You can carry on for up to ten days if the sore hasn't fully healed by then.6
Do not touch or pick at the sore. Wash your hands after applying the cream so you don't spread the virus.
A pharmacist can also point you towards other options, like cold sore patches.
Sore not healed after 10 days, or looks unusually severe? Get a GP to take a look rather than carrying on with self-treatment. Aciclovir cream is available without a prescription.
5. Vaginal thrush treatment
Fluconazole 150mg is a single-dose pharmacy medicine for women aged 16 to 60 with symptoms of vaginal thrush. It's one capsule, swallowed with water.7
First time with these symptoms? See a GP or sexual health clinic first, as other infections can look like thrush.
It works by stopping the growth of the yeast that causes the infection. The patient information leaflet advises seeing a doctor if your symptoms haven't settled within a week.
The pharmacist will check it's right for you before selling it. It isn't suitable if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, have had thrush more than twice in the past six months, or take certain other medicines.7
Thrush keeps coming back? That pattern is worth discussing with a GP, rather than treating it yourself again and again. Fluconazole is available from Pharmica for one-off episodes.
Frequently asked questions
Can you buy omeprazole over the counter in the UK?
Yes. Omeprazole 20mg is sold as a pharmacy medicine for adults with short-term heartburn or acid reflux, and a pharmacist can sell it to you directly without a prescription. It's licensed for up to 14 days' use at a time; if symptoms haven't improved by then, see a GP rather than repeating the course.
Can you buy sumatriptan over the counter in the UK?
You can, but only if you've been diagnosed with migraine by a doctor before. A pharmacist will ask about your migraine history and check for conditions such as heart problems or uncontrolled high blood pressure, which would make sumatriptan unsuitable, before selling you a pack of two 50mg tablets.
Can you buy antihistamines for hay fever without a prescription?
Yes. Non-drowsy antihistamines such as cetirizine, loratadine and fexofenadine are all available over the counter, and most GP practices in England stopped prescribing them for hay fever back in 2018. A pharmacist can help you pick the right one, especially if you need to avoid drowsiness during the day.
Can you buy aciclovir cream over the counter for cold sores?
Yes, aciclovir cream is a pharmacy medicine available without a prescription. It works best applied at the very first tingle, five times a day for at least four days. If a cold sore hasn't healed within 10 days, or looks unusually severe, it's worth getting a GP to check it.
Can you buy fluconazole over the counter for thrush?
Yes, for women aged 16 to 60 with symptoms of vaginal thrush. Fluconazole 150mg is a single-dose pharmacy medicine, but a pharmacist will check it's suitable first, since it isn't recommended if you're pregnant, have had thrush more than twice in six months, or take certain other medicines.
Is this the same as the NHS Pharmacy First service?
No. NHS Pharmacy First is a separate, NHS-funded scheme covering seven specific conditions, such as sinusitis and UTIs. The treatments above work differently - they're medicines that have been reclassified from prescription-only to pharmacy medicines, which any pharmacist, in person or online, can sell after a short consultation.
References
- Medicines.org.uk (emc). Pyrocalm Control 20mg Gastro-Resistant Tablets, Summary of Product Characteristics. medicines.org.uk
- NHS. Indigestion. nhs.uk
- NHS. About sumatriptan. nhs.uk
- Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB. Hay fever prescribing guidance. hweclinicalguidance.nhs.uk
- NHS. Antihistamines. nhs.uk
- NHS. How and when to take or use aciclovir. nhs.uk
- Medicines.org.uk (emc). Fluconazole 150mg Capsules, Summary of Product Characteristics. medicines.org.uk
This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice. Always read the patient information leaflet supplied with your medication and speak to a healthcare professional if you have specific concerns.