If you live, work, or visit near Borough Market, you've probably had this experience: a sore throat that won't settle, an earache that flared overnight, or a urinary infection on a Friday afternoon — and a GP appointment that's days away. For a long time, the only options were to wait, or to sit in an urgent care queue for a condition that didn't really need one.
That changed with NHS Pharmacy First. Since January 2024, community pharmacists across England have been able to assess and, where clinically appropriate, treat seven common conditions directly — including supplying prescription-only medicines such as antibiotics. No GP appointment. No referral. Often the same day you walk in.
This guide explains exactly how Pharmacy First works at Qrystal Pharmacy, a few minutes' walk from Borough Market on Borough High Street, and how to use it.
What Pharmacy First actually is
Pharmacy First is a national NHS service that formally extends what a pharmacist is allowed to do. Rather than only dispensing what a GP has already prescribed, our pharmacists can now run a structured clinical assessment for seven specific conditions and provide treatment on the spot where it's needed.
The service is free on the NHS — there's no consultation charge, and any medicine supplied is treated like an NHS prescription (free if you're exempt, standard prescription charge if not). It's designed to take pressure off GPs and A&E for exactly the kind of everyday illness that's better handled quickly and locally.
The seven conditions we can treat
Pharmacy First covers seven clinical pathways. Each has its own NHS criteria (age ranges, symptoms, and safety checks), and our pharmacists are trained to assess against them:
- Sinusitis — for adults and children aged 12 and over
- Sore throat — aged 5 and over
- Earache (acute otitis media) — children aged 1 to 17
- Infected insect bites — aged 1 and over
- Impetigo — aged 1 and over
- Shingles — adults aged 18 and over
- Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) — women aged 16 to 64
For several of these — including sore throat, sinusitis, and UTIs — treatment may involve a prescription-only medicine such as an antibiotic. The whole point of the assessment is to supply one only when it's genuinely indicated, which also helps protect against antibiotic resistance.
How it works, step by step
- Walk in or call ahead. No appointment is needed, though a quick call on 020 7403 2237 lets us tell you the best time to come in if we're busy.
- Private consultation. You'll be seen in our private consultation room — not across the counter. The pharmacist will ask about your symptoms, how long you've had them, your medical history, and any medicines you take.
- Clinical assessment. Using the NHS clinical pathway for your condition, the pharmacist decides whether it's something we can treat, whether self-care is the right approach, or whether you need a GP or hospital instead.
- Treatment or referral. Where treatment is appropriate, we supply it immediately. Where it isn't, we'll give you clear self-care advice or refer you on — safely, and without you having lost a day waiting.
- Records updated. With your consent, we let your GP know what was assessed and supplied, so your medical record stays complete.
A typical consultation takes around 10–15 minutes. For most people, that's the difference between starting treatment today and waiting until next week.
Walk-in hours near Borough Market
Pharmacy First is available during all our normal opening hours — no separate booking system:
- Monday to Friday: 9:00 – 18:30
- Saturday: 9:00 – 14:00
- Sunday: Closed
We're at 301 Borough High Street, London SE1 1JH — on the main road between Borough Market and Borough Underground station, roughly a five-minute walk from the market's southern entrance.
Getting here
We're genuinely easy to reach, whether you're local or passing through:
- Borough Underground (Northern line): about 2 minutes' walk south on Borough High Street.
- London Bridge (Northern & Jubilee lines, National Rail): about 8 minutes' walk north — convenient if you're a commuter or coming from Guy's Hospital, The Shard, or More London.
- Buses: numerous routes run along Borough High Street with stops within a minute of the door.
- On foot from Borough Market: head onto Borough High Street and walk south past Southwark Cathedral — we're a short way along on your right.
If you're working near London Bridge and can only get out at lunchtime, a Pharmacy First consultation fits comfortably into a break.
Why same-day pharmacist care matters in SE1
The area around Borough High Street is one of the busiest corners of central London — a dense mix of long-standing Southwark residents, tens of thousands of daily office workers around London Bridge and More London, NHS staff and visitors at Guy's Hospital, and a constant flow of visitors to Borough Market and the South Bank. For a population this size and this mobile, fast, walk-in access to clinical care isn't a luxury — it's how people actually manage minor illness without losing a working day or adding to GP and A&E pressure.
That's exactly the gap Pharmacy First fills. Conditions like UTIs, sore throats, and shingles are far better treated early than left to worsen over a weekend, and being able to do that within walking distance of home, work, or the station makes a real difference to how quickly people recover.
When Pharmacy First isn't the right route
Pharmacy First is for specific, defined conditions. It is not for emergencies. If you have severe chest pain, difficulty breathing, signs of a serious infection (such as a very high fever, confusion, or a spreading rash that doesn't fade under a glass), or any symptom that feels rapidly serious, call 999 or go to A&E. For urgent advice when we're closed, NHS 111 is available 24/7.
For ongoing or complex needs, other NHS services may suit you better — for example, the free New Medicine Service if you've just started a new long-term medicine, or Electronic Prescription Service setup so your repeat prescriptions come straight to us.
Booking and next steps
You can walk in for Pharmacy First any time we're open — but if you'd prefer to plan ahead, you can also book a consultation online or call us on 020 7403 2237.
A sore throat, an earache, a UTI, or a flare of shingles doesn't have to mean a week of waiting. If you're anywhere near Borough Market, London Bridge, or the wider SE1 area, Pharmacy First means same-day, expert NHS care is just a short walk away — and our team is here to help.
