Patient self- referrals

Pharmacy First

Pharmacy First is a national service started in January 2024, to help patients quickly access treatments for seven common minor illnesses. Conditions they can offer prescription medicine for are:

• impetigo (aged 1 year and over)

• infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)

• earache (aged 1 to 17 years)

• sore throat (aged 5 years and over)

• sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)

• urinary tract infections (UTIs) (women aged 16 to 64 years)

• shingles (aged 18 years and over)

If you are not within these age ranges, a pharmacist can still offer advice and support decisions about selfcare treatment with over the counter medicines, but you may need to see a GP for treatment.

For patients with symptoms of these conditions, we may signpost you to your local pharmacy or arrange a Pharmacy First appointment with your nominated pharmacy. More information about this service on the NHS website.

Mental Health

In a mental health crisis, contact 111 and choose option 2.

You can refer yourself directly to a psychological therapies service (IAPT) without seeing your GP. Self refer to York and Selby Talking Therapies.
These services offer therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), for common problems including: stress, anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), phobias.

Non-urgent advice: Community Eye Care Services (CES)

Patients can access eyecare for minor eye conditions, free of charge and close to home, without seeing their GP by calling 0300 303 4922 Monday to Saturday 9am -5pm.  The service is for patients aged 2 and above, presenting with a recent onset eye problem such as:

• Loss of vision, including transient loss

• Flashes and floaters

• Occular pain and irritation

• Eye infections that have not responded to treatment

• Trichiasis (in growing eyelashes)

You can search online for your local eye service provider.

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

Non-urgent advice: Physiotherapy

If you are over 17 and have a musculoskeletal pain problem, you can self-refer to Your Physio.