Ship to Find a store Help Log in/register Advantage Card Shop by department Prescriptions Health hub Inspire Me Offers No7 Search Quick access to advice and medicine without having to see your GP. Subject to consultation with a clinician to assess suitability. Charges apply FIND OUT MORE NHS Minor Ailment Scheme If you don't pay for your prescriptions, you may be able to use the NHS Minor Ailment Scheme to get advice and, when appropriate, free treatment for certain common illnesses without seeing a GP Help for common illnesses If you want help dealing with a common illness such as a cold, cough or diarrhoea, you may be able to use the free NHS Minor Ailment Scheme at selected pharmacies, including some Boots pharmacies. Our pharmacist will be able to offer advice and may be able to offer you medicines for a minor illness without you having to book an appointment to see your GP. Who is the service for? Schemes vary between locations, but the NHS Minor Ailment Scheme is for adults and children who: Are registered with a GP surgery which is taking part in the scheme Want treatment for a minor illness included in your local scheme Medicines can be supplied free of charge to the customer if they are exempt from NHS prescription charges. The NHS Minor Ailment Scheme is available across Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland but only in selected pharmacies across England. Ask your local Boots pharmacy whether they offer the scheme and they'll check if you're eligible to receive it. How it works 1 Talk to a pharmacist about your illness and they will offer advice 2 If a medicine is needed, the pharmacist will check your eligibility and whether the illness is covered by the scheme 3 A suitable medicine may be offered to you* *Charges will apply if you normally pay for your prescriptions. If you're exempt, for example people under 16 or over 60, then you won't pay for the medicine as this service is funded by the NHS. What minor illnesses are covered? Illnesses supported within the scheme may differ between locations. Some illnesses covered include: Back-ache, sprains and strains Colds Conjunctivitis Constipation Coughs Diarrhoea Earache Haemorrhoids Hay fever Head lice Headache and fever Heartburn and indigestion Insect bites and stings Mild eczema and dermatitis Minor fungal skin infections Mouth ulcers Nappy rash Sore throat Teething Threadworm Thrush Benefits Convenient: No need to make an appointment Advice: Pharmacist can refer you to a GP if necessary Flexible: Many pharmacies are open at the weekend To find your nearest store, please ensure you filter by store services. Select (NHS) Minor ailment service on the dropdown and the relevent stores will be presented. Find your nearest pharmacy shopping with us A-Z Brands A-Z Store Boots Advantage Card Boots app sitemap customer services help & FAQs delivery information returns & exchange product recall contact us about Boots company information corporate social responsibility modern slavery & human trafficking careers privacy & cookies terms & conditions Our partner sites Copyright © The Boots Company PLC. All rights reserved. Boots.com is a trading name of Boots UK Limited. Registered office: Nottingham NG2 3AA.Registered in England: company number 928555. Registered VAT number 116300129. For details of Boots online pharmacy services see Using Our Pharmacy Services page. Cookies No… not the kind you’d find in a Meal Deal. These cookies are set by us and our advertising partners, to allow you to get the best experience when shopping with us, to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse how our website is used. Click ‘Accept cookies’ to consent, or ‘Cookie settings’ to manage your preferences. Accept cookies Cookie settings ?