GP, pharmacist or 111: where to get help in Burton Latimer

If you are unwell and not sure who to contact, this guide from Burton Latimer Medical Centre explains your options. For many common illnesses you can get advice and treatment from a local pharmacy the same day, without needing a GP appointment. For anything else, our team on Higham Road is here for patients across Burton Latimer, Finedon, Isham, Cranford and the surrounding villages.

What a pharmacist can treat without a GP appointment

Under the NHS Pharmacy First service, pharmacists in England can assess and treat seven common conditions, and can supply prescription medicines such as antibiotics where they are needed. You do not need an appointment or a referral, and most pharmacies have a private consultation room.

• Sore throat (age 5 and over)
• Sinusitis (age 12 and over)
• Earache (age 1 to 17)
• Infected insect bites (age 1 and over)
• Impetigo (age 1 and over)
• Shingles (age 18 and over)
• Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women (age 16 to 64)

Pharmacists can also help with coughs, colds, hay fever, aches and pains, skin rashes and advice on medicines you can buy over the counter. Normal prescription charges apply if you are given a prescription medicine, and if you are exempt from charges that still applies.

Any pharmacy offering Pharmacy First can see you, including those in Burton Latimer, Finedon and Kettering. You can find your nearest pharmacy on the NHS website. After your consultation the pharmacy lets us know, so your medical record stays up to date.

When to contact the practice

If your problem is not on the list above, or the pharmacist advises you to see a GP, contact us. The quickest way is through our online form, Anima, which you can reach from our contact us online page. Answer a few questions about your problem and our clinical team will review it and arrange the right type of help, whether that is self-care advice, a prescription, a phone call or an appointment.

If you cannot use the online form, call us on 01536 723566. Our phone lines are busiest from 8am, so if your problem is not urgent you will usually get through faster in the afternoon. At busy times you can ask for a callback and we will ring you when you reach the front of the queue.

We also offer evening and Saturday appointments through Kettering GP Enhanced Access at Prospect House in Kettering. Call the practice to book one of these.

For more detail on all of this, see our appointments page.

When to call 111

If you need help now and it is not an emergency, but the practice is closed or you are not sure what to do, use NHS 111 online or call 111. They can advise you, arrange for a clinician to call you back or direct you to the right service. Lakeside Plus Urgent Care Centre in Corby is open 8am to 8pm every day for urgent problems that are not life-threatening.

When to call 999

For anything life-threatening, such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, signs of a stroke, severe bleeding or a serious injury, call 999 or go to A&E at Kettering General Hospital straight away.

In short

Minor illness: try a pharmacy first. Anything else: use Anima or call us on 01536 723566. Closed and need help now: 111. Emergency: 999.

Published: Nov 5, 2026