Ear Infection · Pharmacy First

Acute otitis media (middle ear infection) is one of the most common reasons children are taken to the GP. The NHS Pharmacy First scheme means it is one of the things we can now help with directly, in your local pharmacy.

Who is eligible?

The NHS Pharmacy First ear infection service is for:

• Children aged 1 year up to 17 years.
• With symptoms suggesting acute otitis media (middle ear infection).
• Who do not have signs of more serious infection requiring urgent care.

What we will do

The consultation is in our private room and takes around 15 minutes.

We take a brief history, examine the child, and look in their ear with an otoscope. Based on what we find and how unwell the child is, we either reassure and recommend self-care, or prescribe a short course of antibiotics on the spot.

Self-care advice

Most ear infections clear up on their own within a few days. Helpful measures include:

• Paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain (at age-appropriate doses).
• A warm, but not hot, compress against the ear.
• Plenty of fluids and rest.
• Avoiding inserting anything into the ear (cotton buds, drops not prescribed).

When to seek urgent care

Please call 111, see your GP urgently, or go to A&E — not the pharmacy — if your child has:

• Severe pain that does not respond to painkillers.
• A very high temperature, especially with rash or stiff neck.
• Drowsiness, confusion, or unusual irritability.
• Discharge of fluid or blood from the ear.
• Symptoms that have been present for more than a week without any improvement.