Everyday Health
Hay Fever Consultation and Treatment
For hay fever that over-the-counter treatment is not controlling, without waiting for a GP appointment.
Available from 1 October 2026 – register your interestBook a consultation Call 01453 810316
- Available
- From 1 October 2026
- Format
- Private consultation
- Who
- Adults and older children
- Included
- Technique check included
About this service
Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen, causing sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, itchy eyes, nose, throat and ears, a postnasal drip and a cough, and it is far from trivial, because poor sleep, tiredness and difficulty concentrating affect work, exams and driving, and hay fever also makes asthma harder to control. In Gloucestershire the season runs roughly from tree pollen in March to May, grass pollen from May to July, which affects the most people, and weed pollen from June to September, and rural areas like ours can be particularly difficult during grass pollen season.
Treatment works in steps, starting with a non-drowsy antihistamine, adding a steroid nasal spray for nasal symptoms, and moving to a combination nasal spray for symptoms that remain troublesome. Two things make an enormous difference and are frequently done wrong: starting treatment before or at the very beginning of the season rather than once symptoms are established, and using nasal sprays correctly, aiming outwards towards the ear rather than up the middle of the nose, and using them every day for at least two weeks before judging them. At Berkeley Pharmacy our hay fever service is for people whose symptoms are not controlled by over-the-counter treatment, and a technique check is included because it frequently solves the problem on its own.
What hay fever is and how treatment works
Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen, causing sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, itchy eyes, nose, throat and ears, a postnasal drip and a cough. It is far from trivial, because poor sleep, tiredness and difficulty concentrating affect work, exams and driving, and hay fever also makes asthma harder to control.
In Gloucestershire the season runs roughly from tree pollen in March to May, grass pollen from May to July, which affects the most people, and weed pollen from June to September, and rural areas like ours can be particularly difficult during grass pollen season. Treatment works in steps, starting with a non-drowsy antihistamine, adding a steroid nasal spray for nasal symptoms, and moving to a combination nasal spray for symptoms that remain troublesome. Two things make an enormous difference and are frequently done wrong: starting treatment before or at the very beginning of the season rather than once symptoms are established, and using nasal sprays correctly, aiming outwards towards the ear rather than up the middle of the nose, and using them every day for at least two weeks before judging them.
Who this service is for
Suitable for
- Adults and older children whose symptoms are not controlled by over-the-counter treatment
- People whose sleep, work, study or driving is affected
- Anyone with hay fever and asthma, whose asthma gets worse in the season
- Students facing exams during grass pollen season
- Outdoor workers, gardeners, farmers and sports players
- Anyone who has never had their nasal spray technique checked
Not suitable for
- Symptoms only on one side of the nose, or with blood-stained discharge, facial pain or loss of smell, which need medical assessment
- Symptoms all year round rather than seasonal, which may be a different allergy or condition
- Poorly controlled or worsening asthma, which needs urgent review
- Some treatment options are not suitable in pregnancy, breastfeeding or with certain conditions, which we check
How it works
A simple, consistent process for every service at Berkeley Pharmacy.
Get in touch
Call us or use our contact form to arrange a consultation.
Consultation
A private, face-to-face appointment with our pharmacist in our Berkeley consultation room.
Clinical assessment
We review your medical history and confirm whether the service is suitable for you.
Treatment or referral
If it is suitable we treat you the same day; if not, we explain why and advise on the best next step.
What to expect at your appointment
Your consultation covers your symptoms, which ones bother you most, when they occur and what you have already tried, including how you actually used it. A technique check is a key part of the appointment, because it frequently solves the problem on its own.
- A consultation covering your symptoms, which ones bother you most, when they occur, what you have already tried and how you actually used it
- Questions about asthma, eczema and other allergies, which often go together
- A demonstration and check of nasal spray technique, which frequently solves the problem on its own
- Where treatment is appropriate, a discussion of the options and a clear step-up plan
- Practical advice on reducing pollen exposure
- Referral where symptoms suggest something other than hay fever
Aftercare and self-care
Start treatment early, ideally a couple of weeks before your usual season begins, and keep using it daily through the season rather than only on bad days. Simple steps to reduce pollen exposure make a real difference alongside your treatment.
- Start treatment early, ideally a couple of weeks before your usual season begins, and keep using it daily through the season rather than only on bad days
- Use nasal sprays with the correct technique and give them at least two weeks
- Check the pollen forecast, keep windows shut in the early morning and evening when pollen counts are highest, shower and change clothes after being outside, and avoid drying washing outdoors
- Wraparound sunglasses help with eye symptoms
- If you have asthma, keep taking your preventer inhaler and seek help if your asthma is getting worse
- Come back if the plan is not working, as there is usually a further step available
Frequently asked questions
Why is my hay fever not responding to antihistamines?
Because treatment works in steps, and antihistamines alone are often not enough for nasal symptoms. Starting with a non-drowsy antihistamine, adding a steroid nasal spray for nasal symptoms, and moving to a combination nasal spray for symptoms that remain troublesome is the usual approach. Two other things make an enormous difference: starting treatment before or at the very beginning of the season rather than once symptoms are established, and using nasal sprays correctly, which we will check at your consultation.
Am I using my nasal spray correctly?
Many people are not, and incorrect technique is one of the commonest reasons a nasal spray seems not to work. The spray should be aimed outwards towards the ear rather than up the middle of the nose, and used every day for at least two weeks before judging it. A demonstration and check of your technique is part of the consultation, and it frequently solves the problem on its own.
When should I start hay fever treatment?
Ideally a couple of weeks before your usual season begins, rather than once symptoms are established. Starting treatment early makes an enormous difference because it is far easier to prevent symptoms building than to calm them down once they have taken hold. In Gloucestershire the season runs roughly from tree pollen in March to May, grass pollen from May to July, and weed pollen from June to September.
Can hay fever make my asthma worse?
Yes. Hay fever makes asthma harder to control, and many people find their asthma gets worse during the pollen season. If you have asthma, keep taking your preventer inhaler and seek help if your asthma is getting worse. Poorly controlled or worsening asthma needs urgent review rather than a pharmacy consultation, and we will tell you clearly if that is what is needed.
When are the tree, grass and weed pollen seasons in Gloucestershire?
In Gloucestershire the season runs roughly from tree pollen in March to May, grass pollen from May to July, which affects the most people, and weed pollen from June to September. Rural areas like ours can be particularly difficult during grass pollen season, which is why starting treatment early and using it consistently through the season matters so much.
When is this service available?
This service will be available from 1 October 2026. If your symptoms are only on one side of the nose, come with blood-stained discharge, facial pain or loss of smell, or are present all year round rather than seasonal, please speak to your GP rather than waiting, as those features need a different assessment.
How we can supply treatment without a GP appointment
Some treatments at Berkeley Pharmacy are supplied under a Patient Group Direction, or PGD – a written instruction, signed by a doctor and a pharmacist, that legally allows our trained pharmacists to supply and administer specified medicines to people who meet defined clinical criteria, without a prescription from your GP. If you do not meet the criteria set out in the PGD we cannot supply the treatment, and we will explain why and advise you on the best next step. Our pharmacists also work as independent prescribers where that is appropriate.
Serving Berkeley and the surrounding Gloucestershire villages
Berkeley Pharmacy is on Market Place in the centre of Berkeley, with easy access from junctions 13 and 14 of the M5. We welcome patients from Berkeley, Sharpness, Newport, Berkeley Heath, Alkington, Ham, Stone and Rockhampton, and we are a short drive from Cam, Dursley, Slimbridge, Cambridge, Falfield, Charfield, Tortworth, Cromhall, Oldbury-on-Severn, Wotton-under-Edge, Thornbury, Frampton on Severn and Stonehouse. Patients also travel to us from Stroud, Nailsworth, Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Tetbury and Gloucester.
Safe, regulated care from your local pharmacy team
- Berkeley Pharmacy is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council. You can check any pharmacy or pharmacist on the GPhC register at pharmacyregulation.org.
- Every consultation is face to face and private, in our dedicated consultation room – not an online questionnaire.
- Serving the Berkeley community for over 25 years.
- This service does not replace care from your GP. With your consent we will inform your GP of any treatment provided. If you are unwell, have new or worsening symptoms, or need urgent care, contact your GP or NHS 111, and in an emergency call 999.
- If you experience a side effect from any medicine you can report it through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme at yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk.
Page last reviewed: September 2026. Next review due: September 2027.
Treatment information
We do not advertise prescription-only medicines. Whether any treatment is suitable for you is decided at your consultation. If it would help you to read balanced, factual information about the treatments a prescriber may discuss with you, you can find it in our treatment information library.
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Find out moreSpeak to our pharmacy team about hay fever consultation
Visit us in Berkeley or get in touch to arrange a private consultation with our pharmacist.
Book a consultation Call 01453 810316
Address
14 Market Place, Berkeley, GL13 9BB
Opening hours
Mon–Fri 9am–6pm (closed 1–2pm)
Sat 9am–1pm
Sun Closed