Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection

(For women aged 16 to 64 years with suspected lower UTIs)

Exclude: pregnant individuals, urinary catheter, recurrent UTI (2 episodes in last 6 months, or 3 episodes in last 12 months)

Urinary Signs and Symptoms

Consider calculating NEWS2

Score ahead of signposting
Consider the risk of deterioration or serious illness YES
patient to A&E or calling 999 in
a life threatening emergency
NO

Check for any new signs/symptoms of PYELONEPHRITIS:

☐ Kidney pain/tenderness in back under ribs Urgent same day referral
☐ New/different myalgia, flu like illness YES • General practice
☐ Shaking chills (rigors) or temperature 37.9°C or above • Relevant out of hours service
☐ Nausea/vomiting
NO

Does the patient have ANY of the following:

☐ Vaginal discharge: 80% do not have UTI (treat over the counter if
signs and symptoms of thrush)
Onward referral
☐ Urethritis: inflammation post sexual intercourse, irritants
• General practice
☐ Check sexual history to exclude sexually transmitted infections YES
• Sexual health clinics
☐ Check for signs and symptoms of pregnancy- ask about missed or
• Other provider as appropriate
lighter periods- carry out a pregnancy test if unsure
☐ Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (vulvovaginal atrophy)
☐ Is the patient immunosuppressed?

NO Gateway Point

Does the patient have any of the 3 key diagnostic signs/symptoms

☐ Dysuria (burning pain when passing urine)
☐ New nocturia (needing to pass urine in the night)
☐ Urine cloudy to the naked eye (visual inspection by pharmacist if practicable)

No symptom 1 symptom 2 or 3 symptoms

Are there other urinary symptoms:

☐ Urgency Shared decision
making approach
☐ Frequency
using TARGET UTI
☐ Visible haematuria resources
☐ Suprapubic pain/tenderness

YES UTI equally

NO
likely to other
diagnosis In patients that describe Ask patient to return
to Pharmacy if no
their symptoms as mild
improvement in 48
UTI less likely consider pain relief and self hours for pharmacist
care as first line treatment. reassessment

Onward referral
In patients with moderate to severe
• General practice
symptoms, offer nitrofurantoin for 3 days
Self-care and • Sexual health clinics
(subject to inclusion/exclusion criteria in
pain relief • Other provider as
PGD) plus self-care
appropriate

Onward referral
FOR ALL PATIENTS: If symptoms worsen rapidly or significantly at any time, • General Practice
OR do not improve in 48 hours of taking antibiotics • Other provider as
appropriate

FOR ALL PATIENTS: share self-care and safety-netting advice using TARGET UTI leaflet
 Shingles
(for adults aged 18 years and over)
Exclude: pregnant individuals

Diagnose shingles on the basis of typical clinical features

Serious complications suspected

☐ Meningitis (neck stiffness, Shingles in the ☐ Shingles in severely
Consider calculating
Consider the photophobia, mottled skin) ophthalmic distribution immunosuppressed patient
NEWS2 Score ahead of
risk of ☐ Encephalitis (disorientation, ☐ Hutchinson's sign — a ☐ Shingles in
signposting patient to
deterioration changes in behaviour) rash on the tip, side, or immunosuppressed patient YES
A&E or calling 999 in a
or serious ☐ Myelitis (muscle weakness, loss root of the nose where the rash is severe,
life threatening
illness of bladder or bowel control) ☐ Visual symptoms widespread or patient is
emergency
☐ Facial nerve paralysis (typically ☐ Unexplained red eye systemically unwell
unilateral) (Ramsay Hunt)
NO
Does the patient follow typical progression of shingles clinical features:
Gateway Point ☐ First signs of shingles are an abnormal skin sensation and pain in the
affected area which can be described as burning, stabbing, throbbing, itching,
tingling and can be intermittent or constant.
Shingles ☐ The rash usually appears within 2-3 days after the onset of pain, and a NO
Shingles
YES less likely
more likely fever and or a headache may develop.
☐ Shingles rash appears as a group of red spots on a pink-red background
which quickly turn into small fluid-filled blisters.
☐ Some of the blisters burst, others fill with blood or pus. The area then
slowly dries, crusts and scabs form. Consider alternative
☐ Shingles rash usually covers a well-defined area of skin on one side of the diagnosis and proceed
appropriately
body only (right or left) and will not cross to the other side of the body, in a
dermatomal distribution.
☐ Refer to NHS.UK website for images of Shingles
Patient does not meet
Does the patient have shingles Does the patient have shingles treatment criteria
NO NO
within 72 hours of rash onset? up to one week after rash onset? ☐ Share self-care and
YES
safety-netting advice
YES
Does the patient meet (ANY) of the
following criteria: Does the patient meet (ANY) of the
☐ Immunosuppressed (see below) following criteria:
☐ Non-truncal involvement (shingles ☐ Immunosuppressed (see below)
affecting the neck, limbs, or perineum) ☐ Continued vesicle formation
NO
☐ Moderate or severe pain ☐ Severe pain
☐ Moderate or severe rash (defined as ☐ High risk of severe shingles (e.g.
confluent lesions) severe atopic dermatitis/eczema)
☐ All patients aged over 50 years ☐ All patients aged 70 years and over
YES YES

Offer aciclovir (subject to inclusion/exclusion

criteria in PGD) plus self care
Offer valaciclovir:
or if unsuitable ☐ Immunosuppressed patients
☐ Adherence risk: already taking 8 or more medicines a
Offer valaciclovir (subject to inclusion/ day or is assisted in taking their medicines
exclusion criteria in PGD) plus self care
Onward referral
FOR ALL PATIENTS: If symptoms worsen rapidly or significantly at any time, • General Practice
OR do not improve after completion of 7 days treatment course • Other provider as
appropriate
FOR ALL PATIENTS:
FOR IMMUNOSUPPRESSED PATIENTS: ☐ Share self-care and safety-netting advice using British Association of
☐ Offer treatment if appropriate and call patient’s GP or Dermatologists Shingles leaflet
send urgent for action email if out of hours to notify supply ☐ For pain management recommend a trial of paracetamol, a NSAID
of antiviral and request review by GP such as ibuprofen, or co-codamol over the counter. If this is not effective,
☐ Advise patient, if your symptoms worsen rapidly or if you refer patient to general practice
become systemically unwell or the rash becomes severe or ☐ Signpost eligible individuals to information and advice about receiving
widespread - attend A&E or call 999 the shingles vaccine after they have recovered from this episode of
shingles
 Impetigo
(Non-bullous impetigo, for adults and children aged 1 year and over)
Exclude: bullous impetigo, recurrent impetigo (defined as 2 or more episodes in the same year), pregnant individuals under 16 years

Confirm the diagnosis of impetigo through visual examination

Consider calculating NEWS2

Patient is Severe complications
Consider the risk Score ahead of signposting
immunosuppressed suspected (such as
of deterioration YES patient to A&E or calling 999
and infection is deeper soft tissue
or serious illness in a life threatening
widespread infection)
emergency
NO

Does the patient follow typical progression of impetigo clinical features:

Gateway Point ☐ The initial lesion is a very thin-walled vesicle on an erythematous base,
which ruptures easily and is seldom observed
☐ The exudate dries to form golden yellow or yellow-brown crusts, which
gradually thickens
Impetigo Impetigo
YES ☐ Lesions can develop anywhere on the body but are most common on NO
more likely less likely
exposed skin on the face (the peri-oral and peri-nasal areas), limbs and
flexures (such as the axillae)
☐ Satellite lesions may develop following autoinoculation
☐ Usually asymptomatic but may be mildly itchy Consider alternative
☐ Refer to NHS.UK website for images of impetigo diagnosis and proceed
appropriately

Does the patient have ≤3 Does the patient have ≥4

NO
lesions/clusters present? lesions/clusters present?

YES YES

Localised Widespread
non-bullous non-bullous
FOR ALL PATIENTS: impetigo impetigo
☐ Offer advice on importance of
good hygiene to reduce spread of
impetigo
☐ Offer advice on how to take
their medicines to encourage Offer hydrogen peroxide 1% Offer flucloxacillin (if no allergy) for 5
cream for 5 days (subject to days (subject to inclusion/exclusion
adherence
inclusion/exclusion criteria in criteria in PGD) plus self care
protocol) plus self care

Fusidic acid cream can be offered or if unsuitable or ineffective

2nd line if:
☐ Hydrogen peroxide unsuitable,
for example if impetigo is around
eyes
☐ Hydrogen peroxide treatment
has been ineffective and impetigo
still remains localised
Reported penicillin allergy
(via National Care Record or Patient/Carer)
Offer fusidic acid cream for 5
days (subject to inclusion/ YES
exclusion criteria in PGD) plus
self care
Offer clarithromycin for 5 Offer erythromycin for 5
days (subject to inclusion/ days (subject to inclusion/
If pregnant
exclusion criteria in PGD) exclusion criteria in PGD)
plus self care plus self care

If symptoms worsen rapidly or significantly at any time,

OR do not improve after completion of treatment course

Onward referral
• General practice
• Other provider as appropriate

FOR ALL PATIENTS: share self-care and safety-netting advice using British Association of Dermatologists Impetigo leaflet
 Infected Insect Bites
(For adults and children aged 1 year and over)
Exclude: pregnant individuals under 16 years
Do not offer an antibiotic if there are no signs or symptoms of infection. Be aware that a rapid-onset skin reaction to insect bite is
likely to be an inflammatory or allergic reaction rather than an infection. Most insect bites and stings are not serious and will get
better within a few hours or days, and do not need treatment with antibiotics.
Patient presenting with signs and symptoms of infected insect bite
Consider calculating
Severely Stings where there is risk of
Signs of systemic NEWS2 Score ahead of
Consider the risk immunosuppressed airway obstruction (e.g. in the
hypersensitivity reaction signposting patient to
of deterioration or and have signs or mouth or throat) or concerns YES
or anaphylaxis A&E or calling 999 in a
serious illness symptoms of an of orbital cellulitis from bite
☐ Administer adrenaline life threatening
infection or sting around the eyes
emergency
NO
Does the patient meet ANY of the following criteria:
☐ Bite or scratch caused by animal(s)
☐ Bite caused by human(s) Onward referral
☐ Bite caused by tick in the UK and signs of Lyme disease such as erythema migrans • General practice
YES
(bullseye) rash • Other provider as
☐ Bite or sting that occurred while travelling outside of UK with concern of insect appropriate
borne diseases e.g. malaria, tick borne encephalitis
☐ Bite or sting caused by an unusual or exotic insect
NO Recommend self care, oral
antihistamine and/or topical
Has it been at least 48 hours after the initial insect bite or sting? NO
steroids over the counter
YES and safety netting advice
YES Is itch the principal symptom?
(In the absence of other signs or symptoms of infection)
NO

Does the patient have acute onset of ≥3 of the following symptoms of an infected insect bite?
Infected ☐ Redness of skin Infected
insect bite NO ☐ Pain or tenderness to the area YES Insect bite
less likely ☐ Swelling of skin more likely
☐ Skin surrounding the bite feels hot to touch

☐ Clearly demarcate the area and
ask patient to monitor
☐ Ask patient to return to
pharmacy if symptoms worsen at
any time OR do not improve after 3
days of over the counter treatment
for pharmacist reassessment
Recommend self care, oral Does the patient meet ANY of the following
antihistamine and/or topical criteria:
NO ☐ Redness and swelling of skin surrounding
steroids over the counter
and safety netting advice the bite is spreading
☐ There is evidence of pustular discharge at
site of bite/sting?
Gateway Point YES

Recommend self care, oral

antihistamine and/or topical
steroids over the counter
and safety netting advice
☐ Skin redness and
itching are common and
may last for up to 10
days
☐ It is unlikely that the
skin will become
infected
☐ Avoiding scratching
may reduce
inflammation and the
risk of infection
Does the patient meet ANY of the following criteria:
☐ Patient systemically unwell
☐ Known comorbidity which may complicate or delay resolution of infection: for example peripheral
arterial disease, chronic venous insufficiency, lymphoedema or morbid obesity
☐ Severe pain out of proportion to the wound (may indicate the presence of toxin-producing bacteria)
☐ Patient has significant collection of fluid or pus at site of infection (for incision and drainage where
appropriate)
YES NO
Offer flucloxacillin (if no allergy) for 5 days (subject to
Onward referral
• Other provider as appropriate inclusion/exclusion criteria in PGD) plus self care
• General practice
Reported penicillin allergy
(via National Care Record or Patient/Carer)
YES
Offer clarithromycin for 5 Offer erythromycin for 5
days (subject to inclusion/ days (subject to inclusion/
If pregnant
exclusion criteria in PGD) exclusion criteria in PDG)
plus self care plus self care

If symptoms worsen rapidly or significantly at any time,

OR do not improve after completion of 5 days treatment course

Onward referral
• General practice
• Other provider as appropriate
 Acute Sore Throat
(For adults and children aged 5 years and over)
Exclude: pregnant individuals under 16 years
Patient presenting with signs and symptoms of acute sore throat

Suspected Epiglottitis Stridor Consider calculating

Severe complications
☐ 4Ds: dysphagia, dysphonia, drooling, (noisy or NEWS2 Score ahead of
Consider the risk of suspected (such as
distress high signposting patient to
deterioration or clinical dehydration, YES
☐ Do not examine the throat of anyone pitched A&E or calling 999 in a
serious illness signs of pharyngeal
with suspected epiglottitis as this may sound with life threatening
abscess)
precipitate closure of the airway breathing) emergency
NO

☐ Does the patient have signs or symptoms indicating possible scarlet fever, Onward referral
quinsy or glandular fever? (refer to NICE CKS for list of symptoms) • General practice
YES
☐ Does the patient have signs and symptoms of suspected cancer? • Other provider as
☐ Is the patient immunosuppressed? appropriate

NO
☐ Fever (over 38°C)
Use FeverPAIN Score to assess: ☐ Purulence
1 point for each ☐ First Attendance within 3 days after onset of symptoms
☐ Severely Inflamed tonsils
☐ No cough or coryza (cold symptoms)

FeverPAIN FeverPAIN FeverPAIN

Score 0 or 1 score 2 or 3 score 4 or 5 Gateway Point

Self-care and Self-care and Shared decision making approach using TARGET RTI
pain relief pain relief resources and clinician global impression

☐ Antibiotic is not
needed
☐ Offer over the
counter treatment for
symptomatic relief
☐ Drink adequate fluids
☐ Antibiotics make little
difference to how long
symptoms last
☐ Withholding antibiotics is
unlikely to lead to
complications
Mild symptoms: consider pain relief and
self care as first line treatment.
Severe symptoms: consider offering an
YES immediate antibiotic

Ask patient to return to
Community Pharmacy after 1
week if no improvement for
pharmacist reassessment
reassessment, patient can be
Gateway Point
Ask patient to return to
Community Pharmacy if no
improvement within 3-5 days
for pharmacist reassessment
After pharmacist
offered antibiotics if
appropriate based on
clinician global impression
Offer phenoxymethylpenicillin (if no allergy)
for 5 days (subject to inclusion/exclusion criteria in
PGD) plus self care
Reported penicillin allergy
(via National Care Record or Patient/Carer)
YES
Offer clarithromycin for 5 Offer erythromycin for 5
days (subject to inclusion/ days (subject to inclusion/
If pregnant
exclusion criteria in PGD) exclusion criteria in PGD)
plus self care plus self care

If symptoms do not improve after completion of treatment course

Onward referral
FOR ALL PATIENTS: If symptoms worsen rapidly or significantly at any time • General practice
• Other provider as appropriate

FOR ALL PATIENTS: share self-care and safety-netting advice using TARGET Respiratory Tract Infection leaflets
 Acute Sinusitis
(For adults and children aged 12 years and over)
Exclude: immunosuppressed individuals, chronic sinusitis (sinusitis that causes symptoms that last for more than 12 weeks), pregnant individuals under 16 years
Acute sinusitis is usually caused by a virus and is only complicated by bacterial infection in about 2 in 100 cases.
It takes 2–3 weeks to resolve, and most people will get better without antibiotics. Please share NICE information for the public.

Patients presenting with signs and symptoms of acute sinusitis

Intraorbital Intracranial Signs of Consider calculating

NEWS2 Score ahead of
Consider the risk or periorbital complications, meningitis, severe
signposting patient to
of deterioration or complications such as including swelling frontal headache, YES
A&E or calling 999 in a
serious illness orbital cellulitis, displaced over the frontal or focal life threatening
eyeball, reduced vision bone neurological signs emergency
NO

Diagnose acute sinusitis by the presence of ONE or more of:

Acute
☐ Nasal blockage (obstruction/congestion) or
sinusitis ☐ Nasal discharge (anterior/posterior nasal drip)
Acute sinusitis
is a potential YES With ONE or more of: NO
less likely
differential ☐ Facial pain/pressure (or headache) or
diagnosis
☐ Reduction (or loss) of the sense of smell (in adults)
☐ Cough during the day or at night (in children)
Consider alternative
diagnosis and proceed
Has the patient had Has the patient had symptoms for appropriately
NO
symptoms for ≤10 days? >10 days with no improvement

YES YES Gateway Point

Self-care and Does the patient have 2 or more of the following

pain relief
Self care
☐ Antibiotic is not and pain NO
needed relief
☐ Sinusitis usually
lasts 2-3 weeks
☐ Manage symptoms
with self-care
☐ Safety netting advice
Shared decision making
approach based on
severity of symptoms
Offer high dose nasal corticosteroid (off-
label) for 14 days (subject to inclusion/
exclusion criteria in PGD)
☐ Acute sinusitis is usually caused
by a virus.
☐ Antibiotics make little
difference to how long symptoms
last or the number of people
whose symptoms improve
Ask patient to return to
Community Pharmacy if
symptoms do not improve in
7 days for pharmacist
reassessment
symptoms to suggest acute bacterial sinusitis:
☐ Marked deterioration after an initial milder phase Shared decision making
☐ Fever (>38°C) YES approach based on
☐ Unremitting purulent nasal discharge severity of symptoms
☐ Severe localised unilateral pain, particularly pain
over the teeth (toothache) and jaw
Offer high dose nasal corticosteroid (off-label) for 14 days
(subject to inclusion/exclusion criteria in PGD) plus self
care and pain relief instead of antibiotics first line
or if unsuitable or ineffective
Offer phenoxymethylpenicillin (if no allergy)
for 5 days (subject to inclusion/exclusion criteria in PGD)
plus self care
Reported penicillin allergy
(via National Care Record or Patient/Carer)
YES
Offer clarithromycin OR Offer erythromycin for 5
doxycycline for 5 days (subject to days (subject to inclusion/
If pregnant
inclusion/exclusion criteria in exclusion criteria in PGD)
plus self care
PGD) plus self care
If symptoms worsen rapidly or significantly at any time,
OR do not improve after completion of treatment course
Onward referral
• General practice
• Other provider as appropriate

FOR ALL PATIENTS: share self-care and safety-netting advice using TARGET Respiratory Tract Infection leaflets
 Acute Otitis Media
(For children aged 1 to 17 years)
Exclude: recurrent acute otitis media (3 or more episodes in 6 months or four or more episodes in 12 months), pregnant individuals under 16 years
Acute otitis media mainly affects children, can last for around 1 week and over 80% of children recover spontaneously without
antibiotics 2-3 days from presentation

Patients presenting with signs and symptoms of acute otitis media

Suspected acute complications:

☐ Meningitis (neck stiffness, photophobia, mottled skin) Signpost patient to
Consider the risk
☐ Mastoiditis (pain, soreness, swelling, tenderness behind the affected ear(s)) A&E or call 999 in a
of deterioration or YES
☐ Brain abscess (severe headache, confusion or irritability, muscle weakness) life threatening
serious illness
☐ Sinus thrombosis (headache behind or around the eyes) emergency
☐ Facial nerve paralysis
NO Gateway Point

Does the patient have acute onset of AND does the patient have on otoscopic
symptoms including: examination:
Acute otitis ☐ In older children— earache ☐ A distinctly red, yellow, or cloudy tympanic Acute otitis
media YES NO media
☐ In younger children — holding, tugging, membrane
more likely less likely
or rubbing of the ear ☐ Moderate to severe bulging of the tympanic
☐ In younger children: non-specific membrane, with loss of normal landmarks and an air-
symptoms such as fever, crying, poor fluid level behind the tympanic membrane
Offer self care feeding, restlessness, behavioural ☐ Perforation of the tympanic membrane and/or Consider alternative
and pain relief to changes, cough, or rhinorrhoea sticky discharge in the external auditory canal diagnosis and
all patients proceed
appropriately

Does the patient meet ANY of the following criteria:

☐ Patient is systemically very unwell Onward referral
☐ Patient has signs of a more serious illness • General practice
YES
☐ Patient is high risk of complications because of pre-existing comorbidity (this includes children with • Other provider as
significant heart, lung, renal, liver or neuromuscular disease, immunosuppression, cystic fibrosis and young appropriate
children who were born prematurely)
NO

Does the child/young person have otorrhoea (discharge after eardrum perforation) or
eardrum perforation (suspected or confirmed)
NO
YES
Is the child under 2 years AND with infection in both ears?

NO YES

In patients with mild symptoms Shared decision making approach

offer self-care and pain relief and clinician global impression

In patients with moderate and

severe symptoms, without
Does the patient meet ANY of the
eardrum perforation- consider Offer amoxicillin (if no
following criteria:
offering phenazone 40 mg/g allergy) for 5 days (subject to
NO ☐ Severe symptoms based on YES
with lidocaine 10 mg/g ear clinician global impression
inclusion/exclusion criteria in
drops for up to 7 days (subject ☐ Symptoms for >3 days PGD) plus self care
to inclusion/exclusion criteria in
PGD) plus self care Reported penicillin allergy
(Via National Care Record or Patient/Carer)

YES
Ask patient to return to
Community Pharmacy if no Offer clarithromycin for 5 Offer erythromycin for 5
improvement within 3-5 days days (subject to inclusion/ If pregnant days (subject to inclusion/
for pharmacist reassessment exclusion criteria in PGD) (aged 16-17 years) exclusion criteria in PGD)
plus self care plus self care

Onward referral
FOR ALL PATIENTS: If symptoms worsen rapidly or significantly, or the child or young person • General practice
becomes very unwell OR does not improve despite antibiotics taken for at least 2-3 days • Other provider as
appropriate
FOR ALL PATIENTS: share self-care and safety-netting, and evidence on antibiotics using NICE guidelines