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Fusidic acid

Fusidic acid

Treatment Options for Impetigo

If you are aged 18 years or over, and registered with the NHS in England, you may qualify for a FREE virtual consultation and treatment covering six common conditions*, without having to see your GP.

*common conditions we assess and treat include sinusitis, sore throats, infected insect bites, impetigo, shingles & uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women.
Pharmacy First Conditions
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Fusidic acid key facts

Amish Patel - NowPatientGreen tick
Updated on 22 Oct 2024

Who Manufactures Fusidic acid?

Fusidic acid is manufactured by various MHRA approved generic manufacturers.

What Form is Fusidic acid available in?

Fusidic acid is available as a 20mg/g (2%) cream.

How do I store Fusidic acid?

Store fusidic acid at room temperature below 25° C, away from excess moisture and heat.

What is Fusidic acid used for?

Fusidic acid is used for the treatment of of localised non-bullous impetigo under the NHS England commissioned Pharmacy First service.

How does Fusidic acid work?

Fusidic acid is an antibiotic that stops bacteria sensitive to fusidic acid from growing and spreading.

When will I feel better and what should I do if I do not get better?

You should see an improvement in your skin after a few days. Speak to your healthcare provider if your symptoms worsen rapidly or significantly at any time.

Can I drink alcohol while taking Fusidic acid?

Yes, you can drink alcohol while using fusidic acid cream.

Do I need to take Fusidic acid with food?

You do not need to take fusidic acid with food. You can eat or drink as normal when using fusidic acid cream.

Who can and cannot take Fusidic acid?

You may use fusidic acid if you meet the inclusion criteria for impetigo for the Pharmacy First service, but may not use fusidic acid if you meet the exclusion criteria for impetigo for the Pharmacy First service.

How often do I need to take Fusidic acid?

Adults and children 1 year and over should apply a thin layer of fusidic acid cream to the affected area(s) three times daily for 5 days.

What are the side effects of Fusidic acid?

Side effects of fusidic acid are not common, but may include skin reactions, such as dermatitis, rash, pruritus, erythema, and pain or irritation at the application site.

Are there any Interactions of Fusidic acid with other drugs?

There are no known problems if you take other medicines, herbal remedies or supplements, at the same time as fusidic acid.

Other important information about Fusidic acid

You should not smoke or go near naked flames while using fusidic cream due to the risk of severe burns. Also, wash any clothing or bedding that has been in contact with fusidic acid to reduce the risk of fire hazards. Avoid contact with eyes and apply fusidic acid at regular intervals. Seek medical advice in the event of an adverse reaction or if any other new symptoms develop.

Does Fusidic acid interfere with conception and contraception?

Fusidic acid does not affect fertility in men or women and does not stop any type of contraception from working.

Can I use Fusidic acid when breast feeding?

It's OK to use fusidic acid cream while you're breastfeeding, unless you have impetigo lesion(s) on the breast(s). If you are breastfeeding avoid direct contact between infant and impetigo lesion(s), and wash your hands after applying fusidic acid 2% cream and before touching the infant.

Can I use Fusidic acid if I am pregnant or planning to become pregnant?

It's safe to use fusidic acid cream while you're pregnant, unless you are under 16 years of age, in which case you will be excluded from the service.

Medical Disclaimer

NowPatient has taken all reasonable steps to ensure that all material is factually accurate, complete, and current. However, the knowledge and experience of a qualified healthcare professional should always be sought after instead of using the information on this page. Before taking any drug, you should always speak to your doctor or another qualified healthcare provider.

The information provided here about medications is subject to change and is not meant to include all uses, precautions, warnings, directions, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or negative effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a particular medication does not imply that the medication or medication combination is appropriate for all patients or for all possible purposes.

Service Guide

Everything you need to know about NHS Pharmacy First

What is NHS Pharmacy First?

If you are aged 18 years and over, and registered with the NHS in England, you may qualify for a FREE remote video consultation and treatment covering six common conditions, without having to see your GP.
Pharmacy First is the name of a new service which is available to ALL NHS patients across England and will allow you to get treated with prescription-only medications, without having to visit your GP or obtain a prescription.
The FREE service is subject to eligibility requirements. To check if you qualify, select the condition you would like to get treated in the search box and answer the screening questions.

What conditions do you treat with NHS Pharmacy First?

We assess and treat the following conditions:

  • Sinusitis
  • Sore throats
  • Infected insect bites
  • Impetigo
  • Shingles
  • Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women

If treatments are prescribed, they are dispensed and delivered to your home or workplace from NowPatient’s online pharmacy.

Is this a safe service?

Yes. Our formulary of medications prescribed and conditions treated are controlled, governed, and continuously risk-assessed by the NHS. Our service is conducted through remote video consultations, also known as synchronous consultations. This builds patient safety and prescribing appropriateness into our service, ensuring our clinicians can be satisfied with who and what they are treating. There is no guarantee of supply of medications, and any medications supplied are at the sole discretion of our assessing clinician.

How will I know that the service is being provided by a trustworthy clinician?

Our clinicians are board-certified pharmacists who can also prescribe selected medications for six common treatable conditions, which is set out by the NHS. Our clinicians are registered with their respective regulatory bodies. For example, a pharmacist is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Each clinician undergoes an extensive background check including a disclosure and barring service check (DBS). In addition, they undergo a rigorous license verification process. When you book an appointment with one of our clinicians you will see their full name, license number, and any specialized credentials they have.

Is the service available in the United States and the United Kingdom?

No. At the moment, it is only available in England.

Can I use NowPatient’s NHS Pharmacy First feature if I live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?

This service is commissioned by NHS England and is only available to patients in England. You will not be able to use the feature if you live in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.

Do I need to pay for this service?

This is a FREE service for NHS-registered users. If you are prescribed medication at the end of your assessment and you are not exempt from NHS prescription charges, then you will need to pay a single NHS prescription charge, which is currently £9.90. If you are exempt from prescription charges, for example, if you are on Income Support or aged over 60, then you will not be charged.

How do I know if I qualify?

If you suspect you are suffering from any of the following conditions:
  • Sore throats
  • Sinusitis
  • Infected insect bites
  • Impetigo
  • Shingles
  • Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women
You will need to complete a screening quiz. This will allow us to check if the service is suitable for you.
To get started, go to the tools page. Select NHS Pharmacy First. You should then select the following action – ‘Treat Condition’
You will be taken to a selection screen where you will need to select the condition that you are looking to treat. After you have selected the condition, you will need to complete a short screening quiz, which will determine if you are suitable for the service. If you do not qualify, we will signpost you to the right NHS care provider or service.

What are the next steps, if I qualify?

If you do qualify, you will be able to book a consultation with one of our NHS Pharmacy First trained clinicians. To do this, you will need to select a date and time that is convenient for you, along with the preferred language of the clinician you wish to choose. You will then see a list of all available clinicians. From this list, you can filter clinicians by gender and then select the clinician you would like to confirm for your booking.
Once you have approved this, you will see a summary of the appointment including preliminary information about the consultation. At this point, you will also be able to add a reminder to your calendar.
Always ensure your account health profile is up to date before any consultation. This ensures that our clinicians have the most up-to-date information about your current health status and anything that may influence their prescribing decisions. You will receive a push notification and email reminding you of your consultation, 30 minutes before it is due to start.
You can ‘star’ the NHS Pharmacy First quick action widget to have it display in the ‘My Favourite Widgets’ section of your dashboard, for ease of future booking or checking active or past orders.

Will you have access to my GP records?

Yes, as an NHS patient, our pharmacists will be able to access to your GP record including medications, observations, and investigations. This ensures we are able to assess and treat your condition safely and appropriately.

What happens during the remote video consultation?

During the consultation, the clinician will ask you a series of questions that will allow the clinician to diagnose your health condition and consider possible treatment options. At the end of the consultation, the clinician will decide if a treatment plan is a safe and appropriate option for you.

If it is, the clinician will discuss the various treatment options that may be available, so that you can jointly agree on the option that is most suited to you. Once you have jointly agreed on a treatment plan, the clinician will issue a prescription order which will be available in your ‘shopping cart’ at the end of the consultation.

Also, with your consent, the clinician may wish to inform your GP of the treatment that was prescribed. We recommend that you agree to this since your GP is responsible for your overall care and they should have a record of this consultation and medication prescribed. In addition, our clinician may take the opportunity to advise you on your overall health including advice on healthy living or stop smoking.

What happens at the end of the consultation?

At the end of the consultation, you will receive a notification which will summarise the outcome. It will also advise if any signposting to other NHS services were made or if referrals were made to your GP, along with any other advice that was given to you by the clinician.

If a GP referral letter was issued, you will be able to view a copy of this in the ‘My Documents’ section of your dashboard.

If you were prescribed a treatment plan, it will now be available in your shopping cart. When you go to your shopping cart, you will be able to checkout and make a payment or claim an exemption. Remember, you only make a payment If you are NOT exempt from NHS prescription charges. Once the checkout is complete, your prescription order will be sent to our NHS online pharmacy for processing.

What if the clinician does not prescribe a treatment?

We operate a safe and effective service. This means that our clinicians always exercise their clinical judgment when prescribing. Unfortunately, we do not operate a service where you can demand a certain medication. If you are not prescribed anything, then you will not be charged.

Will I get status updates for my order?

Yes. When you place an order with NowPatient, we will keep you fully updated with the status of your order. Every time the status of your order changes, you will be notified immediately. These notifications will appear in your ‘My Notifications’ section on your dashboard. You can click the notification and it will take you to your active orders screen which will give you a timeline overview of the progress of your order. This can also be accessed using the ‘My Orders’ quick action widget which is on your dashboard. Here, you can access active and past orders.

How will my order be delivered?

All orders are shipped in discreet and unmarked packaging. This means it is suitable for delivery wherever you require (home, work, or a neighbour). For thermo-sensitive orders (e.g. Insulin or weight loss injections) we use cold chain-validated packaging. Your parcel will normally receive an estimated delivery window from the courier on the day of delivery.

For your protection and safety, your first order can only be delivered to the address that is registered with the NHS. Future orders can be delivered to any other address, for example, your workplace.

Do you ship cold-chain or temperature sensitive products?

Yes. We use a specialist courier service for all thermo-sensitive deliveries. This is to ensure that cold chain integrity is always maintained and thus the product quality, safety and efficacy.

Learn more about how we handle the delivery of temperature sensitive products.

Where do you deliver?

We currently deliver to all postcodes in England. Some postcodes in rural areas may have a slightly longer delivery time.

When will my order arrive?

We aim to ship all orders placed Monday – Friday before 3pm on the same day. Orders placed outside these times will be shipped the next working day. All deliveries are shipped with Royal Mail, DPD, or DHL who deliver Monday – Saturday.
Our delivery options have the following delivery times:
  • Royal Mail Standard Tracked & Signed for Delivery for NHS prescriptions – 2/3 day delivery (normally 48 hours)
  • DHL Express Tracked Delivery – 1/2 day delivery (normally 24 hours)
  • Royal Mail Special Delivery – Next working day (Royal Mail Guaranteed before 1pm)

What should I do if my order has not arrived?

Delivery is normally made promptly after your dispatch notification is received. You can check the tracking details of your order in the ‘My Notifications’ section of your dashboard, at any point after dispatch.

Unfortunately, packages can sometimes get lost in the delivery system, if after 10 days you have not received your delivery, please contact us and we will do all we can to resolve the problem.

Is NHS Pharmacy First safe for me to use?

Yes. NHS Pharmacy first is classified as a class I medical device under UK MDR 2002 regulations, for its intended use.

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