Minor Ailment Scheme at your local Pharmacy

Minor Ailment Scheme

Everyone can go to their pharmacist for free advice or to buy a medicine for a minor illness or ailment. The Minor Ailment Scheme is an NHS service for people, including children, who 
don't pay prescription charges.  The Minor Ailment Scheme allows you easier access to the same advice, treatment and medicines from your pharmacist as you would get from your GP, without having to wait for a GP appointment.

The pharmacist will ask you a range of questions about: 
• your symptoms 
• your current medication 
• history of ailment 
• any other illness you have. 
The answers will help the pharmacist to make a diagnosis and offer you advice and treatment. 

What minor ailments can be treated under this scheme? 
• athletes foot 
• constipation 
• cough 
• cystitis 
• diarrhoea 
• earache 
• fever 
• hay fever/allergic rhinitis/allergies 
• head lice 
• indigestion 
• insect bites/stings 
• mouth ulcers 
• sore throat 
• sprains/strains 
• teething 
• threadworm 
• upper respiratory tract infection 
• vaginal thrush 
• verrucas 
• warts 

If you have any of the minor ailments listed in this leaflet and you don’t pay NHS prescription charges, you are eligible to join this scheme. 

Published on 16 June 2026