Pharmacy teams may see patients who are acutely unwell but do not yet have a diagnosis of infection. In a community setting an infection may be suspected, based on a range of clinical signs, but pharmacies are unlikely to have access to biochemical tests, that would indicate the likelihood of an infection being present. 

Clinical signs of infection are often non-specific but can include: 

• Fever, aches, pain 
• Presence of pus, swelling or redness in the potentially infected site 
• Confusion, of new onset, particularly in older people 
• Drowsiness, irritability, poor appetite in children 
• Changes in blood pressure, heart rate or respiratory rate.

If an infection is suspected, pharmacy teams can offer self care advice and product recommendations for symptomatic relief, as well as refer the patient to their GP for formal diagnosis, if deemed necessary.

Practice point 1

Make a note of the most common infections that you see in your practice.

What symptoms do patients describe that would make you consider that they have an infection?