NHS treatment for sore throat
If you or your child (age 5+) have a sore throat, our pharmacist can assess whether antibiotics are likely to help using the NHS FeverPAIN scoring system — and supply them free where clinically appropriate.
What kind of sore throat does Pharmacy First cover?
Most sore throats are viral, get better on their own within a week, and don't benefit from antibiotics. A smaller number are bacterial — most commonly caused by group A streptococcus ("strep throat") — and a short antibiotic course can shorten the illness and reduce complications.
The NHS Pharmacy First sore throat pathway uses a validated clinical scoring tool called FeverPAIN to estimate the likelihood that a sore throat is bacterial. The pharmacist scores you on five features, and only supplies antibiotics if the score is high enough to suggest bacterial cause.
Typical symptoms we see in Pharmacy First
- Painful throat, worse when swallowing
- Red, swollen tonsils — sometimes with white or yellow patches (exudate)
- Tender, swollen glands in the neck
- Fever in the first 24 hours
- Headache, tiredness, sometimes earache
How the FeverPAIN score works
FeverPAIN scores 0-5 points across five features. The pharmacist will ask you (or look directly):
| Feature | Points |
|---|---|
| Fever in the past 24 hours | 1 |
| Purulence (pus on the tonsils) | 1 |
| Attend within 3 days of symptom onset | 1 |
| Inflamed tonsils (severely) | 1 |
| No cough or coryza (runny nose) | 1 |
Score interpretation:
- 0-1: Very likely viral. No antibiotics. Self-care advice.
- 2-3: Possible bacterial. Delayed antibiotic strategy or self-care.
- 4-5: Bacterial cause more likely. The pharmacist will consider supplying antibiotics immediately, or giving you a delayed-start ("back-up") antibiotic to use only if symptoms don't improve — depending on the clinical picture.
The pharmacist will explain your score, what it means, and what they recommend. You're not just receiving a yes/no — you're getting a clinical assessment.
Who can use this service?
- Adults and children aged 5 and over
- Sore throat lasting up to 14 days
- No red-flag symptoms (see below)
- Not had a recent course of the same antibiotic that failed
If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, the pharmacist can still see you — antibiotic choice is adjusted accordingly. If your child is under 5 you should see your GP or call NHS 111 instead.
What treatment can be supplied?
The NHS England Pharmacy First sore throat pathway (v1.1, October 2025) follows NICE NG84. Where antibiotics are clinically appropriate, three options exist under v1.1 PGDs:
- Phenoxymethylpenicillin (penicillin V) — first-line where antibiotics are clinically appropriate (5 or 10-day course depending on age and clinical picture)
- Clarithromycin — for patients with a documented penicillin allergy who are not pregnant or breastfeeding
- Erythromycin — for patients with a documented penicillin allergy who are pregnant or breastfeeding
These are supplied under NHS England PGDs 5a (phenoxymethylpenicillin), 5b (clarithromycin) and 5c (erythromycin), v1.1, valid from 1 October 2025. The pharmacist also gives self-care advice — paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain, plenty of fluids, throat lozenges, salt-water gargles for adults — which is often all that's needed.
How it works — fully online from your phone
- Start the online assessment via the Digital Gateway link above — captures the FeverPAIN factors you can answer yourself (fever in the past 24 hours, attending within 3 days, presence or absence of a cough or runny nose), your symptoms, medical history, and any drug allergies. About 5 minutes. The pharmacist completes the remaining two factors (looking at your tonsils for pus and inflammation) during the video call.
- Pharmacist reviews your record in our PharmOutcomes system — usually within 1-2 hours during opening hours.
- Pharmacist phones or video-calls you. Sore throat is one of the pathways where the pharmacist may want to see your throat — we'll send you a secure accuRx video link if needed (your phone's camera shows the tonsils to the pharmacist, no app to install).
- Clinical decision based on FeverPAIN scoring and clinical judgement — phenoxymethylpenicillin (first-line), clarithromycin (penicillin-allergic), or self-care if score is low.
- If antibiotics are supplied: free delivery to your door — Royal Mail Tracked anywhere in England, same-day in Leeds LS postcodes — or collect from us. No prescription charge.
- If antibiotics are supplied, take the full course exactly as labelled, even if you feel better — this helps stop resistance developing.
- GP notified automatically via NHS GP Connect.
- Follow-up: if symptoms get worse or don't improve within 3-5 days, message us or call.
Start your sore throat assessment online
Open our NHS-assured Digital Gateway on your phone. Answer the FeverPAIN-scoring questions, and the pharmacist will review your record. Free for adults and children aged 5+, including antibiotics if clinically needed.
Start online assessment → Or call 0113 244 1551Frequently asked questions
- Will I definitely get antibiotics?
- No. Most sore throats are viral and don't need antibiotics. The pharmacist supplies antibiotics only when the FeverPAIN score and clinical picture suggest bacterial infection. Over-prescribing causes antibiotic resistance, which is why the assessment exists.
- Can I bring my child?
- Yes — for any child aged 5 or over. Children under 5 should be seen by a GP or assessed by NHS 111 because they need slightly different decision-making.
- How much does it cost?
- Free under the NHS. No charge for the consultation, no NHS prescription charge if antibiotics are supplied through Pharmacy First.
- What if my throat is worse the next day?
- Come back to us or call NHS 111. The pharmacist will have given you specific safety-netting advice and the symptoms to watch for.
- Do you do throat swabs?
- We don't use rapid strep tests under Pharmacy First — the NHS service uses the FeverPAIN score, which was developed and validated for community use. If a swab or further testing is clinically needed, we'll refer you to your GP.
- What if I've already had antibiotics for this?
- Tell the pharmacist. If a recent course hasn't worked, that's a reason to refer you to your GP rather than supply another course — possibly a different strain or a non-bacterial cause.
About this service at Hyde Park Pharmacy
Hyde Park Pharmacy is a community pharmacy in central Leeds (premises 9011727, regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council) and an NHS England Pharmacy First contractor. Our superintendent pharmacist is Shoyab Umarji (GPhC #2065619, Independent Prescriber). The sore throat pathway follows the v1.1 NHS England service specification (October 2025).
See our main Pharmacy First page for the full list of seven conditions we cover. For a step-by-step explanation of the post-submission flow, see what happens next.