How to Use the NHS: Pharmacy, GP, 111 and A&E (Newcomer Guide)

The NHS has different services for different levels of need, and using the right one gets you help faster. A pharmacy handles minor illness, your GP handles ongoing and non-urgent care, NHS 111 advises when you are unsure, and A&E or 999 is for emergencies only. This guide shows you which service to use and when.

Which service to use

If you take one thing from this page: in the UK you do not go to hospital for ordinary illness. The pharmacy is the front door, and it is the step newcomers most often skip.

Pharmacy: your first stop for minor illness

Pharmacists are qualified health professionals, and you do not need an appointment or a referral. You can walk in. They can advise on symptoms, sell you what you need, and tell you when something warrants a GP.

Pharmacy First: seven conditions treated without a GP

Under the Pharmacy First scheme in England, launched in 2024, a pharmacist can assess and, where appropriate, supply prescription treatment for seven conditions without you seeing a GP at all. Each one has an age range, which is the part people miss:

Outside those ranges, the same symptom goes to your GP instead. A sore throat in a three-year-old is a GP matter; the same sore throat at six is a pharmacy matter. If you are prescribed something, the normal prescription charge applies unless you are exempt. The consultation itself is free.

Your GP: ongoing and non-urgent care

Your registered GP handles longer-term conditions, repeat prescriptions, health checks and referrals to specialists. Book by phone, online, or through the NHS App. GP care is not for emergencies, and waits for routine appointments can be long, which is why the pharmacy and 111 matter.

The GP is also the gatekeeper. In the UK you generally cannot book a hospital specialist yourself on the NHS. You see your GP, and your GP refers you. The main walk-in exceptions are A&E and sexual health clinics, and you can refer yourself to a few services such as antenatal care, talking therapies, and drug and alcohol support. When your GP does refer you, you often have the right to choose which hospital and which consultant-led team treats you.

NHS 111: when you are not sure

NHS 111 is free to call from a landline or mobile and runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Use it when you need help quickly but it is not a life-threatening emergency, or when you simply do not know which service you need. It can give advice, arrange a callback from a clinician, or direct you into the right service, including an urgent appointment or an out-of-hours GP.

There is also an online version at 111.nhs.uk, which assesses people aged 5 and over. For a child under 5, use the phone line rather than the website. NHS 111 cannot issue fit notes, and it does not manage appointments you have already booked elsewhere.

For newcomers, 111 is the single most useful number to know. It is the service that answers the question you actually have, which is usually not what is wrong with me but where am I supposed to go.

A&E and 999: emergencies only

Accident and Emergency (A&E) and the 999 ambulance line are for serious, life-threatening situations only, such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding, loss of consciousness, or signs of a stroke. Using A&E for minor problems means long waits and takes resources from people in danger. For anything less serious, use 111, a pharmacy or your GP first.

A&E treats by clinical urgency, not by arrival time. A triage nurse assesses you shortly after you arrive and sorts you into an urgency category, so someone who arrives after you with a more serious problem will be seen first. This is normal and is not queue-jumping. If your symptoms get worse while you are waiting, tell the staff, because your category can be changed. If your problem is not urgent, you may wait many hours and then be told to see your GP.

Urgent Treatment Centres

An Urgent Treatment Centre sits between your GP and A&E. It handles same-day problems that are not emergencies: sprains and strains, cuts, suspected broken bones, minor head injuries, minor burns, stings, animal bites, and minor eye, ear, skin or urine infections. You do not need an appointment, but the advice is to talk before you walk. Ring 111 first and they can book you an arrival slot, which is usually faster than sitting in A&E with the same injury.

The NHS App

Download the free NHS App to book GP appointments, order repeat prescriptions, view your record and find your NHS number. It is the easiest way to manage routine care once you are registered.

Frequently asked questions

Where should I go for a minor illness?

Start with a pharmacy. Under Pharmacy First, pharmacists can assess and treat seven common conditions without a GP appointment, within set age ranges.

When should I call 111 instead of 999?

Call 111 for urgent but non-life-threatening problems, or when unsure. Call 999 only for serious emergencies such as chest pain, severe bleeding or loss of consciousness.

Is NHS 111 free?

Yes. NHS 111 is free to call from a landline or mobile, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The online version at 111.nhs.uk covers people aged 5 and over.

Can I go straight to A&E?

Only for genuine emergencies. For minor injuries, an Urgent Treatment Centre or 111 is usually faster and more appropriate.

Can I book a hospital specialist myself?

Not on the NHS in most cases. Your GP refers you. Without a referral you will be directed back to primary care.

Does Pharmacy First cost anything?

The consultation is free. If the pharmacist supplies a prescription medicine, the standard prescription charge applies unless you are exempt.

For the full picture of UK healthcare, see the NHS guide for newcomers.