Can pharmacists prescribe antibiotics?

[RaspberryCoulis]

Almost certainly have a uti, have had them before. Classic symptoms/ if I'm not better in the morning can a pharmacist help? Last time (pre Covid) it was the out of hours gp but I kind of want to avoid that right now

@RaspberryCoulis

Almost certainly have a uti, have had them before. Classic symptoms/ if I'm not better in the morning can a pharmacist help? Last time (pre Covid) it was the out of hours gp but I kind of want to avoid that right now

Possibly, some do

www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-tract-infections-utis/

They need to have completed a certain course to prescribe antibiotics for uti and I know the one who can do them where I am (very rarely here - Wales, lack of pharmacists anyway never mind ones who can prescribe) expect samples ready to be tested as well.

So suggest you phone your local open pharmacy tomorrow morning and ask if they can help. It'll save you a trip and likely queuing if they cannot help so you can get straight on with 111 (share your dread there!)

Please don't risk leaving it if they can't help.

Mine did but I had to get a course of cymalon or whatever its called first to rule that out. When that didn't work I get a 3 day course of antibiotics which worked. It's really uncomfortable so I hope you get sorted.

Thanks all, after drinking about 4 gallons of water last night I had a decent night's sleep and the stinging has gone this morning... so the plan is to drink loads more today and then tomorrow my own GP will be open if I'm still feeling not right.

Last time I left it until I had hot and cold sweats and pain across my back which is the point I don't want to get to this time.

Hopefully that's you sorted, but you can also get a prescription via a Dr by going through 111. The one I spoke to just sent the prescription straight to Sainsbury's pharmacy for me to collect.

I got an antibiotic prescription by phoning 111 and the doctor faxed it to my nearest pharmacy. Hope you're better soon

Just to bump my own thread - downhill again yesterday and ended up in the local Boots.

Very lovely pharmacist explained that yes they can give a 3 day supply of antibiotics for UTI (not other conditions) and sorted me out after a few quick medical questions. Starting to feel better already.

Bad news and good news OP, hopefully that sorts it out.

Any pharmacist will do it, apparently, as long as it's a one off. I think if you have a catheter, or repeated UTIs then they want you to still see the GP.

My GP will only prescribe antibiotics after I've had the ones from the pharmacy. (I think they are antibacterials.) They don't always work for me but I've had a lot of success in taking a D-Mannose tablet daily. It's worth resting up on those if you have recurring

Pressed post too soon
If you have recurring utis.

That’s interesting, my dd had a uti and got antibiotics from the nurse at our surgery but they didn’t work. Since it was then the weekend she went to boots and Superdrug to speak to the pharmacist about antibiotics as she’d read online they could prescribe them, but they wouldn’t give her any. Just told her to keep drinking water and it would go, but it had been going on for a week and wasn’t shifting. In the end she phoned out of hours and a lovely dr arranged for her to pick up a prescription at our local hospital which cleared it up.

Good to hear that some pharmacists do actually do this though.

It should be all women aged between 16 and 65 according to this.

www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/news/all-scottish-pharmacists-set-prescribe-utis-and-impetigo

I was so evangelical about how swiftly and efficiently my last UTI was dealt with by my pharmacist that when DH was having symptoms I sent him to our fab local chemist. I didn't realise the guidelines only applied to females.

@Lidlfix

I was so evangelical about how swiftly and efficiently my last UTI was dealt with by my pharmacist that when DH was having symptoms I sent him to our fab local chemist. I didn't realise the guidelines only applied to females.

I wonder why that is?

Different plumbing? No idea. But I've taken 2 tablets and feeling better already. UTI's are hideous and antibiotics are wonderful.