What can a pharmacist treat in Queensland without a GP?

Prescriptions & medicines ·Published 10 October 2026 ·Reviewed 10 October 2026

Written by the Priceline Pharmacy Pacific Fair team. Reviewed by Jason Markey, BPharmSci, MPharm, Owner and Pharmacist.

General health information from a registered pharmacist. It doesn’t replace advice from your own pharmacist or doctor.

In Queensland, a pharmacist who has completed extra training can assess and treat a range of common conditions without you seeing a GP first. That includes uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women aged 18 to 65, contraception, and everyday problems such as reflux, ear infections, school sores, eczema, mild acne and shingles. Queensland Health made the contraception and everyday-condition services permanent from 1 July 2025, joining the UTI service.

At Priceline Pharmacy Pacific Fair in Broadbeach, our trained pharmacists provide UTI treatment and contraception consultations. Below we explain what the Queensland rules cover, what happens in a consultation, what it costs and when you still need a doctor.

What can pharmacists prescribe in Queensland?

Queensland built these services up in stages. The UTI service began as a pilot in June 2020, and in July 2022 the Queensland Government announced it would be made permanent. Pilots for contraception and everyday conditions followed, with pharmacists taking part from Cairns to the Gold Coast. In March 2025 the Health Minister announced those services would continue permanently.

The table shows each condition and who it’s for, based on Queensland’s Extended Practice Authority for pharmacists. That’s the legal document setting out what trained pharmacists can supply or prescribe, and the minimum ages.

Queensland is also running a separate pilot for some long-term conditions, such as blood pressure and cholesterol management, asthma and COPD. It’s only offered at participating pharmacies and runs until 30 June 2027.

What if you just need more of your usual pill?

You don’t need a separate service. The contraception consultation covers continuing your current pill as well as starting or changing one. Under the Queensland rules, a pharmacist’s prescription for contraception can cover up to 12 months’ supply.

Does every pharmacy offer every service?

No. Only pharmacists who have completed the additional clinical training can provide these services, so what’s available depends on the pharmacy and on which pharmacists are working that day. It’s worth calling ahead.

Here’s what you’ll find at our Pacific Fair store:

• UTI treatment: for women aged 18 to 65 with symptoms of an uncomplicated bladder infection. No booking needed: ask for a trained pharmacist at the prescription counter and allow about 15 minutes.
• Contraception consultations: for women aged 16 and over who want to start, restart, change or continue the pill, vaginal ring or contraceptive injection. Please call first, as our trained pharmacists are usually available Monday to Friday.

For the other conditions on the list, our pharmacists can still give advice and talk you through over-the-counter options, for example for heartburn and reflux. If you need a prescription, we can point you to a GP.

What happens in a pharmacist consultation?

It’s a bit like a short GP appointment. Here’s what to expect:

1. A private chat. We’ll take you into our private consultation room so the conversation stays confidential.
2. Questions about you. The pharmacist asks about your symptoms, health history, allergies and any other medicines or supplements you take. Bringing a list, or your medicine packets, helps.
3. A decision. The Queensland rules require an individual clinical assessment. Depending on the result, the pharmacist may supply treatment, write a prescription, suggest an over-the-counter option or refer you to a GP.
4. A record. The pharmacist keeps a clinical record of the consultation. For UTI treatment, you’re given a copy.

Pharmacists must follow the Queensland rules and the clinical guidelines they set out. If your situation falls outside them, you’ll be referred rather than treated.

How much does a pharmacist consultation cost?

These are private services, so expect a consultation fee plus the cost of any medicine. Fees vary between pharmacies, so ask before your consultation starts.

At our store:

• the contraception consultation is $35, and your contraception is charged separately
• the UTI consultation fee isn’t covered by Medicare, so ask us about the current fee when you call or arrive
• any medicine supplied or prescribed is an extra cost

Some people will soon pay less. The Australian Government has announced a 12-month trial from January 2027 for concession card holders aged 18 to 55, with pharmacist-prescribed contraception and UTI treatment available at the $7.70 concession rate.

When do you still need a GP?

Pharmacist services are designed for mild, uncomplicated problems in people who meet the criteria. healthdirect notes that men, children and pregnant people need to see a doctor to get antibiotics for a UTI. The Queensland service covers the pill, vaginal ring and injection only, so for a contraceptive implant or IUD you’ll need a doctor.

It’s also time for a GP if your symptoms are severe, keep coming back or haven’t improved after treatment, or if other health conditions make things more complicated.

When to see a pharmacist or GP

See a GP promptly, or talk to our pharmacists, if:

• you have UTI symptoms with a fever, pain in your lower back or side, or nausea and vomiting, as these can be signs of a kidney infection (healthdirect advises seeing a doctor straight away)
• you’re pregnant, or the UTI symptoms are in a man or a child
• you notice blood in your urine
• your symptoms haven’t settled after treatment, or keep returning
• you’re not sure which service you need

Our in-store Help Medical GPs are one option, with walk-ins welcome subject to doctor availability.

Call 000 in an emergency. If you or someone else is seriously unwell, call triple zero (000) straight away.

This article is general information only and isn’t a substitute for personal advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist or you’re worried, talk to your pharmacist or GP. In an emergency, call 000.