Common Ailments Service (CAS)
– Information for Healthcare Professionals
The Common Ailments Service (CAS) is a scheme offered by local pharmacies that should be considered as an alternative to a GP referral. It provides patients with free NHS advice and treatment for a range of minor illnesses.
The following information is for healthcare professionals. Members of the public and patients can find information here.
Who can access the Common Ailments Service
The service is designed to provide advice and treatment to those with a common ailment. Any patient who is remaining in Wales for 24 hours after accessing the service is eligible to receive treatment through CAS.
Condition-specific exclusions do apply in some situations. These are based on age, pregnancy or breastfeeding, and clinical exclusions. Exclusion criteria can be found on the condition monograph in the CAS formulary.
Conditions included in the Common Ailments Service
The following 27 conditions are included within the Common Ailments Service:
- Acne vulgaris
- Allergic rhinitis
- Athlete’s foot
- Back pain
- Chickenpox (in children under 14 years of age)
- Cold sores
- Colic (infantile)
- Conjunctivitis (bacterial)
- Constipation
- Diarrhoea
- Dry eye disease
- Dry skin including dermatitis and atopic eczema
- Dyspepsia
- Fungal skin infections (body and groin)
- Haemorrhoids
- Head lice
- Ingrowing toenail
- Mouth ulcers (simple aphthous)
- Nappy rash
- Oral thrush
- Scabies
- Sore throat
- Teething
- Threadworms
- Urinary tract infection (UTI)
- Vulvovaginal thrush
- Warts and verrucae
Patients suffering with a condition that is not included above will not be able to receive advice or treatment through the Common Ailments Service. However, a pharmacist may still be able to advise them on their condition and recommend possible over the counter treatments for them to buy.
Patients suffering with an eye condition should visit their local optometrist first. A free NHS eye exam may be available. More information and a list of opticians that offer a free eye check can be found here.
More information
For more information, please find our Condition Reference Guide here. This includes more detail on the conditions covered by the service, and the age ranges.
Additional patient information can be found on our Common Ailments Service – patient information page. This page also contains patient information leaflets for all of the conditions, available in English and Welsh.
Patient Group Directions (PGDs)
Below are PGD templates for pharmacists delivering the Common Ailment Service component of the Clinical Community Pharmacy Service. These PGDs are not legal or valid without authorisation by the Local Health Board in which they are operating.
Local contractors should access their locally adopted versions of the PGDs via their Local Health Board PGD pages.
| PGD template | Date effective | Additional clinical guidance / information for Community Pharmacists |
| Adapalene 0.1% / benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel or adapalene 0.3% / benzoyl peroxide 2.5% gel for the treatment of acne vulgaris | 01 July 2026 (v1.0) | - |
| Allergic rhinitis treatments: oral and intranasal antihistamines, sodium cromoglicate eye drops and intranasal corticosteroids | 04 June 2025 (v2.0) | PGDs: azelastine hydrochloride 0.1% w/v (140 micrograms / dose) nasal spray; fexofenadine 30 mg and 120 mg tablets; sodium cromoglicate 2% w/v eye drops; fluticasone furoate 27.5 micrograms / dose nasal spray; fluticasone propionate 50 micrograms / dose nasal spray; mometasone furoate 50 micrograms / dose nasal spray Allergic rhinitis summary and pathway |
| Antibiotics as part of the sore throat component of CAS | 03 June 2025 (v2.0) | PGDs: phenoxymethylpenicillin 250 mg tablets and 125 mg / 5mL and 250 mg / 5 mL oral solution; amoxicillin 250 mg and 500 mg capsules and 250 mg / 5 mL and 500 mg / 5 mL oral suspension; clarithromycin 250 mg and 500 mg tablets and 125 mg / 5 mL and 250 mg / 5 mL oral suspension; erythromycin 250 mg tablets and 250 mg / 5 mL and 500 mg / 5 mL oral suspension Please note that since these PGDs were approved erythromycin 500 mg / 5 mL oral suspension is no longer available as an option on Choose Pharmacy |
| Antibiotics as part of the Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Service component of the clinical community pharmacy service | 01 June 2024 (v1.0) | PGDs: nitrofurantoin 100 mg modified release capsules; trimethoprim 200 mg tablets and 50 mg / 5 mL suspension Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) service summary document |
| Anusol® HC ointment and suppository for the treatment of haemorrhoids | 01 July 2026 (v2.0) | - |
| Benzoyl peroxide 5% gel for the treatment of acne vulgaris | 01 July 2026 (v2.0) | - |
| Benzoyl peroxide 3% / clindamycin 1% gel or benzoyl peroxide 5% / clindamycin 1% gel for the treatment of acne vulgaris | 01 July 2026 (v2.0) | - |
| Chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis | 01 April 2025 (v2.0) | - |
| Chloramphenicol 1% eye ointment for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis | 01 April 2025 (v2.0) | - |
| Clindamycin 1% / tretinoin 0.025% gel for the treatment of acne vulgaris | 01 July 2026 (v1.0) | - |
| Clobetasone 0.05% cream and ointment for the treatment of dry skin | 01 July 2026 (v3.0) | - |
| Clotrimazole 1% cream for the treatment of athlete's foot, fungal skin infections, nappy rash and vulvovaginal thrush | 01 July 2026 (v2.0) | - |
| Clotrimazole 10% vaginal cream for the treatment of vulvovaginal thrush | 01 July 2026 (v2.0) | - |
| Clotrimazole 500 mg vaginal pessary for the treatment of vulvovaginal thrush | 01 July 2026 (v2.0) | - |
| Docusate sodium 100 mg capsules for the treatment of constipation | 01 November 2025 (v2.0) | Constipation treatment summary |
| Fluconazole 150 mg capsules for the treatment of vulvovaginal thrush | 01 July 2026 (v2.0) | - |
| Hydrocortisone 1% cream and ointment for the treatment of athlete's foot, dry skin, fungal skin infections (body and groin) and nappy rash | 01 July 2026 (v2.0) | - |
| Lansoprazole 30 mg gastro-resistant capsules for the treatment of dyspepsia | 01 November 2025 (v1.0) | - |
| Macrogol compound oral powder sachets NPF sugar free for the treatment of constipation | 01 November 2025 (v2.0) | Constipation treatment summary |
| Mebendazole 100 mg chewable tablets and 100 mg per 5 mL oral suspension for the treatment of threadworm | 01 November 2025 (v3.0) | Addendum to the PGD (01 December 2025) |
| Miconazole 2% oral gel for the treatment of oral thrush | 01 July 2026 (v2.0) | - |
| Naproxen 250 mg tablets for the treatment of acute, self-limiting, simple lower back pain with an identifiable cause | 01 November 2025 (v2.0) | Recommended reading for back pain |
| Nystatin 100,000 units per mL oral suspension for the treatment of oral thrush | 01 July 2026 (v2.0) | - |
| Omeprazole 20 mg gastro-resistant capsules for the treatment of dyspepsia | 01 November 2025 (v2.0) | - |
| Scheriproct® ointment and suppository for the treatment of haemorrhoids | 01 July 2026 (v2.0) | - |
| Terbinafine 1% cream for the treatment of athlete's foot and fungal skin infections (body and groin) | 01 July 2026 (v2.0) | - |
Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge the valuable contributions and expert advice of the individuals involved in the continued development of the resources that support the provision of the Common Ailments Service. Their input is essential to ensuring the quality, accuracy and impact of our outputs, and they are central to our mission of improving patient care and advancing practice.
Community Pharmacy Clinical Advisory Group (CPCAG)
Adam Mackridge
Alana Adams
Alya Al-Affan
Amy David
Carys James
Debra Roberts
Dianne Burnett
Emlyn Pritchard
Jason Carroll
Louise Allen
Meryl Davies
Nia Sainsbury
Rachel James
Richard Evans
Ross Davies
Clinician reference group
Alice Groves
Jennifer Ellis
Jonathon Campbell
Peter Thomas
Sherard Lemaitre
Community pharmacy user group
Abdalla Aly
Adam Watkins
Amanda Leung
Amritpal Philora
Amy Rich
Andrews Owusu-Boamah
Anna Ciolek
Anna Matthews
Asim Ali
Ayaan Malik
Aylar Dallali
Bethan Williams
Bhavee Patel
Bhupendra Bhudia
Callum Thomas
Carrie Matthews
Carwyn Jones
Carys Pritchard
Charlotte Smith
Claire Griffiths
Clara Anderson
Daniella Cadden
Dewi Evans
Eleri Williams
Elliot King
Emma Thomas
Gareth Hughes
Gareth Rowe
Gary Evans
Greta Llŷr
Hywel McGlinchy
Isaac Tan
James Head
Jessica Richardson
Jitendra Ghoniya
Joe Hawkins
Jonathan Martin
Jonathan James
Kevin Thomas
Laraib Vaseem
Laura Price
Lee Coombs
Lowri Puw
Luqman Alli
Margaret Allan
Marisa Lewis
Michael Mustoe
Mike Wallington
Mustafa Ameer
Nadine Banner
Nkechi Mbam
Owen Phillips
Priya Jethwa
Purvi Smart
Rizwan Chohan
Rob Cousins
Ruari O’Connell
Sarah Brown
Sarah Feliciello
Shahnaz Kamzi-Shah
Shannon Jones
Shua Yang
Simon Davies
Sophie Linton
Steph Howell
Suzanne Nicholls
Suzanne Roberts
Tom Collins
Usman Khokhar
01 Jul 26
Acne vulgaris, athlete’s foot, chickenpox, dry eye, dry skin, fungal skin infection (body and groin), haemorrhoids, head lice, ingrowing toenail, nappy rash, oral thrush, vulvovaginal thrush resources updated. Condition Reference Guide updated.
18 Jun 26
Button link to CAS formulary monographs added.
12 May 26
Community Pharmacy user group list updated
07 May 26
CPCAG membership list updated
18 Feb 26
CPCAG membership list updated
03 Nov 25
Back pain, constipation, diarrhoea, dyspepsia, threadworms resources updated. Condition Reference Guide updated.
01 Oct 25
Condition Reference Guide updated.
20 Sep 25
Acknowledgements section added.
04 Jun 25
Sore throat and allergic rhinitis PGDs updated. Allergic rhinitis summary and pathway added. Condition Reference Guide updated.
29 Apr 25
Button links to Condition Reference Guide and PILs added at top of page.
01 Apr 25
Chloramphenicol PGDs updated. Community Pharmacist Condition Reference Guide updated.
03 Jan 25
Community Pharmacist Condition Reference Guide updated.
13 Dec 24
Community Pharmacist Condition Reference Guide added.
17 Jun 24
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) service resources added.
18 Sep 23
Published.
