Pharmacists will soon be able to prescribe medication for seven common illnesses, saving people from having to wait to see a GP. Under the scheme, patients can visit

a local pharmacy where the pharmacist will check their symptoms and prescribe medication if necessary.

The new system is set to be rolled out by winter, and will apply to ailments such as shingles, urinary tract infections (UTIs), sore throats, earaches, infected insect bites, sinusitis, and impetigo.

While some pharmacies already offer a UTI management service, this marks the first time pharmacists will be able to prescribe medication for these conditions. Photo by Edwardx, Wikimedia commons.