GP or Pharmacist?

[mrgwvr]

Hi,

Just for reference I am a typically healthy 28 year old male living in the London area. I'm just posting to get some healthcare advice as my mother is such a hypochondriac and if I ask there she'll probably take one look, tell me I'm dying and whisk me off to A&E which seems unnecessary...

Basically, I was out walking in a local park yesterday and have had a huge bite on my ankle since the following morning - it is begging to puss as if infected; I was just going to see a pharmacist (opening-times.co.uk/Rowland... this afternoon but will they be able to give me the right treatment (assuming I need some kind of cream?) or will I need to make an appointment with my GP - cautious of wasting a doctors time...

Thanks

[crstein Partner MHF]

Hello,

This is difficult to answer because there are a lot of unknowns but going to the pharmacist is a good first point of call because they should be able to give more accurate information than the general public, they are easier to access than GPs and they will be able to tell you if you need further diagnosis.

I appreciate this is not a definitive 'yes' but it is very difficult to say anything clinical about the issue.

It would be great if you could share your experience of the healthcare system after you've received the correct treatment.

All the best.

[jonblane]

What harm can come from seeing the Pharmacist in the first instance ?

It sounds like an insect bite of some kind which some kind of antiseptic ointment plus maybe a plaster ( both to reduce risk of infection ) will deal with.

HOWEVER, I would ask the Pharmacist specifically if s/he can rule out that it might be a bite from a TICK .

The latter ~tick bites ~ are said to be becoming more widespread in England and they can, if untreated, lead to really serious illness.

So personally I would want to have that ruled out ~ which may need blood tests at intervals and so on.

I believe I read that there is now a hospital in London where there are specialists in TICKS and the LYME disease which they can cause. Can't recall which one.

Googling may be your friend here to find out which hospital has these specialists.

The point is ~it may be unlikely, but better safe than sorry is a cliché for a reason, perhaps.