‘Ask your pharmacist’: No appointment needed for advice on colds, flu and sore throats this winter
Health Minister Robbie Butler and Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Cathy Harrison with the team from Pond Park Pharmacy.
Saturday 14 November 2026
People across Northern Ireland are being encouraged to turn to their local community pharmacy for advice and treatment this winter, with Health Minister Robbie Butler highlighting the help available without needing a GP appointment.
As seasonal illnesses increase pressure on health services, the Minister is urging the public to make greater use of Pharmacy First, which allows people to seek professional advice for common conditions including colds, flu and sore throats.
The message follows a visit to Pond Park Pharmacy in Lisburn, where Mr Butler met staff and heard about the services community pharmacies provide to patients.
Help without a GP appointment
Community pharmacies are among the most accessible parts of Northern Ireland’s health service, offering advice on minor illnesses, access to medicines and a range of clinical services.
Through Pharmacy First, patients can seek advice from a pharmacist without making an appointment, helping them manage common health concerns and understand when further medical attention may be needed.
Mr Butler said pharmacies have an increasingly important role as winter demand places additional pressure on GP practices and hospitals.
“Throughout winter, as demand for other HSC services becomes greater, Community Pharmacies continue to be a vital lifeline for many; providing safe and reliable access to medicines, professional advice, and clinical services to help people prevent and treat illness before it gets worse.
“This winter, I strongly encourage the public to avail of the Pharmacy First programme, which uses the incredible skills of our pharmacy teams while reducing pressure in other parts of the HSC system. Ask your pharmacist for advice on colds, flu and sore throats. You do not need an appointment for this.”
Flu and COVID-19 vaccinations available
Alongside advice and treatment for common illnesses, participating community pharmacies are also providing flu and COVID-19 vaccinations to eligible patients.
Vaccination remains an important way of reducing the risk of serious illness from these infections, particularly among people who are more vulnerable to complications.
Those eligible for seasonal vaccinations are being encouraged to take up the offer, with information about vaccination programmes and where to receive a vaccine available through nidirect.
Further information: www.nidirect.gov.uk/information-and-services/living-well/immunisation-and-vaccinations
Pharmacies central to plans for local healthcare
The Minister also highlighted the role community pharmacies are expected to play in Northern Ireland’s developing Neighbourhood Model of Health and Wellbeing.
The approach aims to bring more healthcare services closer to where people live, with greater emphasis on prevention, earlier intervention and treatment within local communities.
Mr Butler said:
“As we work to bring care closer to people’s homes and shift our focus to prevention, Community Pharmacies will be right at the centre of this new model, delivering complex clinical services our communities need, right where they live. I look forward to working with pharmacists as this model progresses.”
The plans could see pharmacies taking on a broader clinical role as health services seek to reduce reliance on hospital-based care and improve access to support within communities.
£42 million programme to modernise prescriptions
During the visit, the Minister also heard about the anticipated benefits of the £42 million ePharmacy programme, which is intended to modernise how prescriptions are managed across Northern Ireland.
The programme will replace paper prescriptions with a fully digital system connecting GP practices and pharmacies, changing how prescriptions are issued and processed.
It forms part of a wider £102.6 million Transformation Fund investment in public sector reform.
The Department of Health says the programme will support the modernisation of community pharmacy services, although the information released did not specify when the new digital system would become fully operational.
Pharmacists highlight opportunities and challenges
Anne McAlister, National Pharmacy Association Manager in Northern Ireland, welcomed the Minister’s visit to Pond Park Pharmacy, where he met NPA members Anita and Alison Rooney.
She said:
“It was great that Minister Butler visited NPA members Anita and Alison Rooney at Pond Park Pharmacy in Lisburn today, to get the latest picture from the pharmacy coalface about the challenges and opportunities to improve health care in Northern Ireland.
“The Minister’s visit also helped to promote the range of pharmacy services available in Northern Ireland, so that people don’t miss out on the expert support available to them in their local community.”
The visit highlighted both the contribution pharmacies already make and the growing expectations being placed on them as Northern Ireland seeks to deliver more healthcare outside hospitals.
For patients this winter, however, the immediate message is straightforward: whether seeking advice about a sore throat, managing cold and flu symptoms or checking vaccination options, a local community pharmacy can be a convenient first point of contact, often without the need for an appointment.
