Who Should I See?

Pharmacists can give you advice on a range of conditions and suggest medicines that can help.

They may also be able to offer treatment and some prescription medicine for some conditions, without you needing to see a GP (this is called Pharmacy First). Conditions they can treat as part of Pharmacy First are:

• earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
• impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
• infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
• shingles (aged 18 years and over)
• sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
• sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
• urinary tract infections or UTIs (women aged 16 to 64 years)

If you go to a pharmacy with one of these conditions, the pharmacist will offer you advice, treatment or refer you to a GP or other healthcare professional if needed.

Every year, 50 million visits to the GP are made for minor ailments that can be dealt with faster by visiting your local pharmacy instead

Pharmacists are able to help with these common conditions:

No appointment is necessary and your local Pharmacist is usually open late, is available at weekends and many public holidays. It will also save you making an appointment with your GP.

Over the Counter Medicines

A GP, nurse or pharmacist will generally not give you a prescription for over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for a range of minor health conditions.

New Medicine Service

The New Medicine Service is available at Pharmacies to give you extra help and advice if you’re just starting on a new medicine for one of the following conditions:

• asthma
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• type 2 diabetes
• high blood pressure
• people who have been given a new blood-thinning medicine

More about the New Medicine Service.

Treat Yourself Better

We support the campaign to encourage people to self-treat minor ailments such as colds and flu. The Treat Yourself Better Without Antibiotics website is full of information to help people understand when how long they can expect their symptoms to last for, when they need to see a doctor and when they would be better off visiting their local pharmacist for advice. 

Use Andover’s Minor Injury Unit if you need medical treatment or advice which does not need a visit to A&E or a GP appointment

Book an appointment by calling 111

Some examples of problems they deal with:

• sprains and strains
• suspected broken limbs
• minor head injuries
• cuts and grazes
• bites and stings
• minor scalds and burns
• ear and throat infections
• skin infections and rashes
• eye problems
• feverish illness in adults
• feverish illness in children
• abdominal pain
• vomiting and diarrhoea
• emergency contraception

You can refer yourself directly to see an NHS physiotherapist at the hospital without seeing a GP first. Physiotherapists can help with a wide range of muscle or joint problems and are usually the best person the see for these problems. You can self-refer via the link below. For a new or serious joint pain or complaint you can also call reception and ask for a review with on ouf the advanced physiotherapists who work at the surgery – ask for an ‘MSK appointment’

If you have found a new breast lump or have symptoms of concern and would like it to be assessed you can self-refer to the local breast clinic for a review

Eligible patients:

• All women assigned female at birth
• Aged 30+
• Breast lump, pain or symptoms in the breast tissue

If your meet all of the above criteria please self-refer to the breast service by calling 0300 123 0769.

Phone lines are open Monday to Friday 9am- 4pm (a voicemail service is available outside of these hours)

Please be aware that the inital assessment is by phone (if further assessment is needed they will arrange follow up at the surgery or in the breast clinic)

Patients aged over 18 with concerns about hearing including:​

• Hearing loss
• Tinnitus
• Problems with hearing aids​

You can self-refer – call Audiology 01962 824437 or email [email protected]​

Specific hearing aid repairs or maintence can be found here

Please note they cannot accept self-referrals for urgent matters or dizziness

The Andover Minor Eye Contitions Service can offer you a same day appointment to assess a new or urgent eye symptom. Please click here to book an appointment or call 0300 303 4922

Whatever your eye problem your first port of call should be an optician. They are the best people to assess urgent eye problems, check for eye disorders and treat eye conditions. They have the professional training and necessary equipment to assess most eye problems.

Eye Problems that your Optician can help with:

If your optician is closed and you can’t wait until it reopens call 111

If you sustain an eye injury that requires immediate emergency treatment go to your nearest Accident and Emergency.

Male patients requesting a vasectomy can self-refer on the Mid Hampshire Healthcare website​

For dental problems including emergencies you should contact your registered dentist. They should have arrangements in place to review urgent issues. If you have not registered with a dentist, please do this as soon as possible.

Dentist’s can perform an appropriate assessment and advise on necessary intervention including use of any antibiotics.

If you require emergency treatment, you should contact NHS 111

Dental emergencies are: acute dental pain, facial or oral swelling, bleeding from the mouth or trauma.

Ask reception to arrange a call with one of our social prescribers

If you or someone you know needs help with day-to-day living because of illness or disability, this website explains your options and where you can get support.

Hampshire County Council is responcible for assessing patient in need of care at home and in residental settings. A person or relative can request an assessment for this directly from Hampshire County Council

The nursing team are seeing patients in the surgery for dressings, cervical smear tests, child immunisations and injection (B12, prostap, flu, etc). Other appointment types may be by telephone

See the Practice Nurse for:

Please review the list below of services you may be able to access directly as this may be quicker than waiting to speak with a GP. Patients with new symptoms, recent illness and and long-standing medical problems need an appointment with a doctor. Information on evening and weekend appointments can be seen here

Services include:

• Self-refer to see an NHS physiotherapist based at the Andover Hospital here
• Mental health support and counselling via the surgery mental health team, NHS iTalk or Andover MIND
• Smoking Cessation support (Smokefree Hampshire)
• Health Visitor advice for all children (Chat Health – ages 0-5: text 07520 615720, ages 5-19: text 07507 332417)
• Childrens physiotherapy and occupational therapy reviews
• Dental problems – call 111 for emergency dental help
• Sexual health review (LetsTalkAboutIt)
• Weight loss support – Gloji Hampshire
• Citizens Advice Test Valley
• Talk to our social prescribers for non-medical problems – book via reception
• Alcohol and drug support – Inclusion Andover

You can access all of these services without the need to see a GP or Nurse. You can normally self-refer by phone, attend a drop in clinic or by completing a self-referral form on their website.

Click the link below for more information on local services

A range of common illnesses such as cold and flu and minor injuries can be treated at home simply by combining a well-stocked medicine cabinet with plenty of rest. Many patients attend with conditions that would get better with self-care. Studies show that 25-40% of consultations with a GP are unnecessary so it would help if patients only booked an appointment with a GP if they really need to.

Wessex Healtheir Together is a fantastic resource for advice regarding childhood illnesses and health matters

Examples of the ailments best treated by yourself are:

• Upset stomach
• Grazed knee
• Common cold
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Colds & Flu

There are a wide variety of helpful Self Care information and resources available which could help you to treat your illness without the need for an appointment:

Please contact the hospital department directly to enquire on the status of or get the result of investigations they have arranged

For emergencies attend A&E, if you are unsure call 111

Useful numbers

Patients who are eligible for treatments for COVID-19 are able to self-refer to the COVID Medicines Delivery Unit (CMDU). They provide antiviral medicines to patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 and who identify as belonging to the highest risk clinical subgroup.

This includes some patients with cancer, blood conditions, kidney disease, liver disease and auto-immune diseases, among others.

If you are an eligible patient and test positive for COVID-19, please contact the CMDU directly and self-refer by:

• Visiting CMDU online and completing a self-referral form
• Phoning 03300 587080

Patients will be assessed within 24 hours of referral.

Further information is available here.

Health visitors can provide advice about most common childhood illness for children aged under 5

You can contact them by calling 02382 313091 or ChatHealth by sending a message to 07520 615720

Chat Health 0-5

ChatHealth 0-5 is a text messaging service set up to support parents, carers and families of under 5’s in Hampshire. 

The service is run by local health visitors who have a wealth of experience of working with mums and dads-to-be, babies, toddlers and young children. 

The Health Visiting Team are able to support with questions from parents, carers and families relating to a wide range of health and wellbeing issues including crying babies, infant feeding, starting baby on solid foods, sleep and behaviour problems. As well as giving advice, the team can signpost to appropriate services and other support. 

How to use it: Text the dedicated number 07520 615720.

The  messages are then delivered to a secure website and a health visitor will be able to provide a response to the text. 

Call 111

Call 111 when we are closed to speak to an NHS professional on any urgent health or medical issue.

Calls are free from landlines and mobiles.

Urgent Care Centre

Urgent treatment centres are a facility you can go to if you need urgent medical attention, but it’s not a life-threatening situation. 

If you have an emergency please call 999

Medical emergencies can include:

• loss of consciousness
• an acute confused state
• fits that aren’t stopping
• chest pain
• breathing difficulties
• severe bleeding that can’t be stopped
• severe allergic reactions
• severe burns or scalds

Mental Health Crisis?

You should call 999 or go to A&E if you, or someone you know, experiences a life-threatening medical or mental health emergency. These are cases where there is immediate danger to life or physical injury. A mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a medical emergency. If you feel like you may be close to acting on suicidal thoughts or have seriously harmed yourself, you should call 999 or go to A&E directly if you need immediate help and are worried about your safety.

It’s important to use A&E only for serious injuries and major emergencies.