If you live in Somerset and contact your GP to discuss a minor illness or injury, your GP receptionist may offer you a same-day consultation with your community pharmacist through the Somerset GP Community Pharmacy Consultation Service .

Your community pharmacist can offer clinical advice and over the counter products and medications for over 40 minor illnesses and injuries including eye and ear infections, sprains and aches, hay fever, skin conditions and urinary tract infections.

Community pharmacists are highly qualified clinicians and can offer medical advice for minor injuries and illnesses.

During your consultation, your pharmacist will take your medical history, ask about your symptoms and any current medication you might be taking.

Following the consultation, they will offer you advice and where appropriate, offer you an over-the-counter product. Some pharmacists are also able to offer anti-biotics. The pharmacist will make a record of the outcome of your consultation on your patient record.

If having given you advice/treatment, your pharmacist thinks you may need further specialist help they will be able to refer you back to your GP or recommend another health service for support.

Since the service was rolled out across Somerset, patients using the service have freed up around 1000 GP appointments every month for patients with more serious or complex conditions.