Common Ailments Service in Cardiff: What Can Your Pharmacist Treat for Free?

Find out about common ailments & acute conditions

If you live in Cardiff, St Mellons or elsewhere in Wales, you don’t always need a GP appointment for a sore throat, a sticky eye or a urinary infection. The Common Ailments Service in Cardiff is a free NHS Wales service run through community pharmacies. It gives you a private consultation with a pharmacist and, where it is suitable, free treatment.

This guide covers the conditions included, who can use the service, what happens in a consultation, and the warning signs that mean a GP, NHS 111 Wales or 999 is the safer choice.

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What Is the Common Ailments Service?

The Common Ailments Service (CAS) is an NHS Wales scheme offered by local pharmacies. The Welsh Medicines Advice Service describes it as free NHS advice and treatment for a range of minor illnesses. You don’t need an appointment, and the consultation takes place in a confidential area of the pharmacy.

It is now very well used. Welsh Government figures published in March 2026 recorded 462,367 CAS consultations in 2024/25, up 34% on the 344,376 recorded the year before (The Pharmaceutical Journal). The most common reasons were sore throat and tonsillitis, hay fever, bacterial conjunctivitis (an eye infection) and dry skin or dermatitis.

The idea is simple. Minor problems are seen quickly by a clinician who is trained to spot when something isn’t minor. That also leaves GP appointments free for people who need them most.

Which Conditions Can Your Pharmacist Help With?

The national guide pharmacists follow is the All Wales Common Ailments Service formulary (a list of conditions and approved treatments), maintained by the All Wales Therapeutics and Toxicology Centre. The NHS Wales pages list 27 conditions. Some news reports say 28, depending on how conditions are grouped. Some have age limits or exclusions.

Throat, Eyes, Ears, Nose and Mouth

  • Sore throat (some pharmacies also offer a sore throat test and treat service)
  • Bacterial conjunctivitis
  • Dry eye disease
  • Hay fever (allergic rhinitis)
  • Mouth ulcers, oral thrush and cold sores
  • Teething

Skin, Hair and Feet

  • Acne
  • Dry skin, including contact dermatitis and atopic eczema
  • Athlete’s foot, ringworm and intertrigo (sore skin in folds), including groin infections
  • Scabies and head lice
  • Warts and verrucae, ingrowing toenail and nappy rash

Gut, Bladder and Intimate Health

  • Constipation, diarrhoea, dyspepsia (indigestion) and haemorrhoids (piles)
  • Threadworms
  • Vaginal thrush
  • Lower, uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI) in women and people assigned female at birth aged 16 to 64, who are not pregnant or catheterised

Children and Muscles

  • Chickenpox (children under 14)
  • Infantile colic
  • Acute back pain (ages 16 to under 50)

If your problem isn’t on the list, your pharmacist can still give advice and point you to the right service, but they can’t supply free treatment through CAS.

Who Can Use the Service, and Is It Really Free?

The service is for adults and children living in Wales. NHS Wales information says you can use it if you live in Wales and are registered with a GP practice in Wales. The Welsh Medicines Advice Service also says anyone staying in Wales for at least 24 hours after seeing the pharmacist can use it. Your pharmacist will explain which applies to you.

The consultation is free. If the pharmacist agrees you need a medicine or product from the formulary, it is supplied free under the service. Some conditions are advice only, so you may leave with self-care guidance rather than a product.

A few practical points:

  • The pharmacist may ask if you’d like to register for the service. Registering is what allows them to supply free treatment. If you’d rather not, you can still get advice.
  • You can only be registered with one pharmacy at a time, though you can move to another.
  • You may be asked for ID, depending on whether you’re already known to the pharmacist.
  • You can attend on behalf of a child or someone you care for. Many Cardiff parents use it for conjunctivitis, nappy rash or head lice.

For eye problems, some health boards also suggest an NHS-funded visit to an optometrist (optician) first. Your pharmacist will tell you which route suits you.

What Happens in a Common Ailments Consultation?

Most consultations are short, but the pharmacist will take time to check you are suitable. Here is what to expect.

1. Check-In

The pharmacist confirms your details and asks about the problem.

2. Assessment

They ask how long you’ve had symptoms, what you’ve tried, any health conditions and allergies, and the medicines you take. They may look at the affected area or check your temperature.

3. Decision

If you’re suitable, you agree a plan together. That may be self-care advice, a free product from the formulary, or both. Treatment is never automatic. It depends on your assessment.

Some problems need a prescriber. Our prescribing pharmacists can assess a wider range of acute problems after a consultation, where it is clinically appropriate.

4. Safety-Netting

You’re told what to expect, how long recovery should take, and exactly when to come back or get help elsewhere.

Pharmacists also use national patient information leaflets, written for each ailment. The Welsh Medicines Advice Service recorded updates to several of these resources, including acne, head lice and dry eye, on 1 July 2026. Only use the leaflets after your pharmacist has advised you about your or your child’s condition.

When Should You See a GP, Call 111 or Dial 999 Instead?

The pharmacist will only treat you if it is suitable and safe. If they have any concern, they’ll refer you on. In a 2025/26 winter survey of CAS users, 65 people were referred elsewhere, and 83% of those were asked to see a GP (The Pharmaceutical Journal). That is the service working as designed.

These lists are general guides, not a substitute for professional advice.

Call 999 or Go to A&E If:

  • You or your child has severe difficulty breathing, or you can’t get words out
  • There is swelling of the face, lips or tongue, or signs of a severe allergic reaction
  • You can’t swallow your saliva or are drooling
  • There is a sudden severe headache, confusion, a stiff neck with a rash, or severe drowsiness
  • There is sudden loss of vision or a serious eye injury

NHS 111 Wales lists severe breathing difficulty as a reason to call 999 straight away. Don’t drive yourself to A&E in that situation.

Contact Your GP or NHS 111 Wales If:

  • Symptoms are getting worse or haven’t improved in the time the pharmacist advised
  • You have a high temperature that won’t settle, or you feel very unwell
  • You have an eye infection with severe pain, light sensitivity or reduced vision
  • You have urinary symptoms with fever, back or side pain or blood in the urine, or you are pregnant
  • A baby or very young child is unwell, or a rash doesn’t fade when pressed with a glass
  • You have a weakened immune system or a long-term condition that makes infections riskier

NHS 111 Wales is open 24 hours a day. If you’re unsure, ask. Our pharmacists would rather you checked than waited.

Making the Most of the Service This Winter

With colds, sore throats and winter bugs on the rise, GP waiting times tend to stretch, and the pharmacy is often the quickest place to be seen. Patients agree. A survey of more than 3,600 CAS users between 27 October 2025 and 31 March 2026, published in August 2026, found that 97.8% of respondents said their ailment could be managed in the pharmacy, and 95.1% rated their experience as excellent (The Pharmaceutical Journal). It is a self-selected survey, so treat the figures as a guide rather than a guarantee for any one visit.

A few tips:

  • Go early in the day if you have a sore throat, urinary symptoms or an eye infection. You’ll usually be seen sooner.
  • Bring a list of your regular medicines.
  • Take the relevant patient leaflet home.
  • Don’t wait for symptoms to become severe before asking for help.
  • Check what you already have at home, such as pain relief or hay fever products, and tell the pharmacist so nothing is doubled up.

Why Choose Wellness Pharmacy for the Common Ailments Service in Cardiff?

We’re an independent pharmacy on Newport Road in Old St Mellons, and we see families from across east Cardiff every day. We offer free NHS Wales Common Ailments consultations, and pharmacist prescribing for many acute conditions, often without a GP appointment.

  • Free NHS Wales consultations for the conditions covered by the service
  • Pharmacist prescribing for a wider range of acute problems, where clinically suitable
  • A private, confidential consultation room for every assessment
  • Honest referrals to your GP, optometrist, NHS 111 Wales or A&E if that is the better route
  • Local, familiar faces who know the area and are happy to answer questions

Not sure whether your symptoms are suitable? Pop in or book a consultation and our pharmacists will point you in the right direction.

Book now for a consultation with our pharmacists

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an appointment for the Common Ailments Service?

No. NHS Wales says you can visit a participating pharmacy at a time that suits you. It's worth going earlier in the day if you're unwell, as consultations are private and take a little time. If the pharmacist is with another patient, you may be asked to wait or return shortly.

Can the pharmacist treat a UTI?

For some people, yes. The service covers lower, uncomplicated UTIs in women and people assigned female at birth aged 16 to 64 who aren't pregnant or catheterised. The pharmacist will ask about your symptoms and refer you to a GP if you have a fever, back pain, blood in your urine or other warning signs. Treatment is only given if it is suitable after assessment.

Is the Common Ailments Service free for children?

Yes. The service is for adults and children living in Wales, and the consultation and any treatment supplied under it are free. A parent or carer can attend for a child. Some conditions have age limits, so the pharmacist will check whether your child's problem is covered.

What if my condition isn't on the list?

Your pharmacist can still give advice and tell you where to go next, such as your GP, an optometrist or NHS 111 Wales. They can also say whether an over-the-counter product is appropriate, although it wouldn't be free through the service. Please don't self-diagnose or keep buying treatments for a worsening problem without speaking to a healthcare professional first.

Medical Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always seek the advice of your GP, pharmacist, or qualified healthcare professional before starting, stopping, or changing any treatment. A qualified prescriber must assess individual clinical suitability. Wellness Pharmacy only supplies prescription treatments following a full clinical assessment.

Thomas HarriesWritten byThomas HarriesPrescribing Pharmacist and OwnerView full clinician profile →

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Written by (Prescribing Pharmacist and Owner).