The sore throat test and treat service allows patients who have a sore throat to call into their local pharmacy.
Under the scheme, a trained pharmacist will assess your symptoms, and where appropriate, will test using a quick and pain free test which will swab your throat. The pharmacist will ask you some questions to decide if you need a throat swab and complete a clinical assessment. Not everyone will need a throat swab and if your answers suggest it is a viral infection, a swab may not be necessary.
Following a consultation and assessment by the pharmacist, medication may be supplied for those patients where an antibiotic is required. In many cases, a sore throat is the result of a viral rather than bacterial infection which means antibiotics will not work, and self-care and rest are the best course of action.