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Minor ailments at the counter — 30 protocols

The screening questions to ask, what to offer, when to refer and what to tell the patient. Written for pharmacists, and readable by a well-informed patient.

Drug interactions · Drug reference · Clinical calculators · Paediatric dosing · Pregnancy & breastfeeding

Guidance only. It does not replace the pharmacist's professional judgement or a medical consultation. Every protocol says when to refer. One thing to be clear about: the screening questions and the red flags are universal — they come from physiology, not from any one country's rules. The medicines lists are not: what can be supplied without a prescription is a national decision, and some drugs here are not marketed in the UK or the US at all, or need a prescription there. Where that is the case the entry says so. Check your own classification and your own Summary of Product Characteristics. See the clinical content policy.

Find the symptom

30 protocols grouped by body system. Search by keyword, or filter by group.

Frequently asked questions

What is a pharmacist-led minor ailment consultation?

It is the professional service where the pharmacist, faced with a minor symptom the patient has not had diagnosed, decides what to do: refer to the doctor, supply a treatment without a prescription, or give advice.

Do these protocols replace professional judgement?

No. They are guidance, drawn from Spanish pharmacy consensus protocols and clinical guidelines. The judgement of the pharmacist who knows the patient and their circumstances always comes first. Each protocol sets out when to refer.

Why does every protocol start with screening questions?

Because the first step is ruling out the red flags that force a referral. Each protocol lists the minimum questions that find them: warning signs, pregnancy, children, other conditions, and medicines that rule a treatment out.

Do the medicines listed apply in my country?

The clinical content does; the medicines list may not. Which products can be supplied without a prescription is a national decision. Some drugs listed here are not marketed in the UK or the US at all (clebopride, racecadotril, cloperastine) or need a prescription there — where that is the case, the entry says so. Always check your own classification and your own Summary of Product Characteristics.

Does it cover children?

Yes. There are specific paediatric protocols (diarrhoea, colds, head lice) alongside the adult ones. For worked paediatric doses by weight, use the paediatric dosing calculator.