UTI Treatment (Pharmacy First)
Women aged 16-64 can get a free NHS assessment — and antibiotics where appropriate — for an uncomplicated UTI at participating pharmacies in England.
Under NHS Pharmacy First, women aged 16 to 64 with symptoms of an uncomplicated urinary tract infection — stinging when passing urine, needing to go more often or urgently, cloudy or strong-smelling urine — can be assessed and treated free at participating pharmacies across England, with no GP appointment needed. Walk in, or be referred by your GP practice or NHS 111. Following a national clinical pathway in a private consultation room, the pharmacist can supply certain prescription-only medicines where clinically appropriate — typically a three-day course of nitrofurantoin — and sends a record to your GP practice. The consultation is free; in England the standard prescription charge of £9.90 applies to any supplied medicine unless you're exempt. Men, pregnant women, under-16s, over-64s, and anyone with recurrent or complicated infections fall outside the pathway and are referred to a GP. Fever, back or side pain, vomiting, or blood in your urine can mean a kidney infection — get same-day help from your GP or NHS 111 instead. Find participating pharmacies via /pharmacies/locations/; our Pharmacy First hub page and UTI answer cover the scheme in full.
Typical cost
Free on the NHS
0 pharmacies offering pharmacy first uti
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who can get UTI treatment under Pharmacy First?▼
Women aged 16 to 64 with a suspected uncomplicated UTI. Men, pregnant women, anyone outside that age range, catheter users, and people with recurrent infections — generally two or more in six months or three in a year — are outside the pathway and will be referred to a GP. Our answer on whether a pharmacist can treat a UTI explains why.
Which antibiotic will the pharmacist supply for a UTI?▼
Where the clinical criteria are met, the usual supply under the pathway is a three-day course of nitrofurantoin. If that isn't suitable — because of allergy, kidney problems, or interacting medicines — the pharmacist will refer you to a GP rather than substitute freely.
Is the Pharmacy First UTI consultation free?▼
The consultation is free on the NHS. If a medicine is supplied in England, the standard prescription charge of £9.90 applies unless you're exempt from prescription charges. Scotland's NHS Pharmacy First Scotland scheme covers UTIs under its own rules, including medicines free of charge.
When should I see a GP instead of using Pharmacy First for a UTI?▼
Get same-day help from your GP or NHS 111 if you have a high temperature or chills, pain in your back or sides, nausea or vomiting, or blood in your urine — these suggest the infection may have reached your kidneys. Pregnant women and men with urinary symptoms should always go straight to their GP.
Do I need to bring anything to the consultation?▼
No — just walk in, though it helps to know your symptoms, any medicines you take, and any allergies. The pharmacist works through the pathway questions, may suggest pain relief, and will tell your GP practice what was supplied. If symptoms haven't improved within 48 hours of starting antibiotics, go back.