UTI Treatment in London 2026. How to Get Seen the Same Day, What NICE Recommends and When Cystitis Needs More Than Tablets
A urinary tract infection, or cystitis, is usually simple to treat once a doctor has confirmed it. For most women who are not pregnant, NICE guideline NG109 recommends a 3-day course of antibiotics, and symptoms usually begin to settle within a day or two of starting. The part that matters most is recognising when it is not simple cystitis, because a kidney infection, a sexually transmitted infection or a UTI in a man, in pregnancy or after 65 is managed differently.
Key points
Burning when you pass urine, needing to go urgently and often, and lower tummy discomfort are the classic signs of lower UTI.
NICE guideline NG109 recommends a 3-day antibiotic course for most non-pregnant women, and 7 days for men and for pregnant women.
Fever, pain in your back or side under the ribs, shivering or vomiting suggest the infection has reached the kidney and needs same-day assessment.
Men, pregnant women, anyone with repeated infections and anyone whose symptoms have not improved on treatment should have a urine culture before or alongside antibiotics.
Burning with pain? Message a GMC-registered doctor on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com.
What does a UTI feel like?
Lower urinary tract infection affects the bladder and urethra. The typical pattern is a burning or stinging sensation when passing urine, a strong urge to go even when little comes out, going more often than usual, and an ache low in the tummy. Urine may look cloudy, smell stronger or contain a little blood.
In older adults the picture is often less clear. New confusion, a fall or simply seeming unwell can be the first sign, and national guidance advises against relying on a urine dipstick in people over 65 because bacteria in the urine are common without infection at that age.
When is it more than cystitis?
Kidney infection, called pyelonephritis, needs same-day assessment. The warning signs are a temperature, pain in the back or side just below the ribs, shivering or rigors, nausea or vomiting, and feeling generally very unwell. Antibiotic choice and course length are different, and some people need hospital care.
Symptoms that look like cystitis are sometimes a sexually transmitted infection, particularly with a new partner, unusual discharge or pain during sex. Vaginal thrush and irritation from products can also cause stinging. A short conversation with a doctor usually separates these, and it is the reason self-diagnosis gets repeat UTIs wrong so often.
Visible blood in the urine that persists after an infection has cleared, or appears without infection, should always be investigated rather than put down to cystitis.
Not sure which it is? Ask a doctor on WhatsApp.
What treatment does NICE recommend?
For non-pregnant women aged 16 and over, NICE guideline NG109 recommends a 3-day course of an antibiotic chosen with local resistance patterns in mind, most often nitrofurantoin, with trimethoprim used where the risk of resistance is low. Where symptoms are mild, NICE also supports a back-up prescription, taken only if symptoms have not started to improve within 48 hours or worsen at any point.
Men are treated for 7 days, and a urine sample is sent for culture before starting. Pregnant women are also treated for 7 days with a culture sent first, because an untreated infection in pregnancy carries real risk and the choice of antibiotic is narrower.
Paracetamol or ibuprofen help with pain, and drinking enough to keep urine pale is sensible. Cranberry products and urine alkalinisers are widely sold, but NICE found no good evidence that they treat an active infection.
Can a pharmacist treat it?
For many women, yes. Under the NHS Pharmacy First service in England, community pharmacists can assess and treat uncomplicated lower UTI in non-pregnant women aged 16 to 64. The service excludes pregnancy, men, anyone with a catheter, and women with recurrent infection, defined as 2 episodes in 6 months or 3 in 12 months.
That leaves a large group for whom a doctor is the right first stop. Men, women over 64, pregnant women, anyone with recurrent infections, symptoms that have come back soon after treatment, and anyone with signs of kidney involvement. It also leaves visitors to London who need a clear answer quickly, without an NHS registration.
Why do UTIs keep coming back?
Recurrence is common, and treating each episode in isolation rarely solves it. A doctor should confirm each infection with a culture, check the antibiotic actually matched the organism, and look for contributing factors such as menopause, where NICE supports vaginal oestrogen to reduce recurrence, diabetes, constipation, incomplete bladder emptying and sexual activity. Our guide to recurrent UTIs in London covers prevention in detail.
How same-day care works at The Online GP
A GMC-registered doctor takes your history by telephone or video, the same day. Where the picture is typical uncomplicated cystitis, treatment follows NICE guidance and a prescription is issued to a pharmacy near you, or near your hotel if you are visiting. Where a culture is needed, it is arranged and the result is reviewed by the same team. Where anything suggests a kidney infection or another cause, you are seen in person or directed to the right service that day.
Where we are
Portman Square, Marylebone
The Wellness is at Unit 4, 10 Portman Square, London W1H 6AZ, a short walk from Marble Arch and Baker Street.
Belgravia
Appointments also run at the Light Centre, 9 Eccleston Street, London SW1W 9LX, close to Victoria.
What it costs
Private urgent care in central London is priced across a wide range, and the difference is usually speed and who you see. At The Online GP, the consultation price includes the doctor's assessment, a prescription where appropriate and clear advice on what to do if symptoms change.
Telephone consultation with a GMC-registered doctor, 15 minutes, the same day, £59.
Same-day urgent appointment in person at Portman Square, 30 minutes, with examination, £220.
Urine culture, blood tests and onward referral arranged where they are needed.
See a doctor today. Message us on WhatsApp.
Why patients choose The Online GP by The Wellness
Because a doctor decides whether this is cystitis at all. The conditions that mimic UTI, and the UTIs that need more than 3 days of tablets, are recognised on the first call rather than on the third prescription.
Because treatment follows NICE guidance, which protects you from antibiotics you do not need and from the resistance that makes the next infection harder to treat.
Because culture, bloods and in-person examination sit in the same team, so a complicated or recurring infection is followed through rather than restarted.
And because it is the same day, including for visitors to London who have no NHS GP.
Related reading
Our guides to the private GP in London, recurrent UTIs and a hotel doctor in London explain how same-day care works for residents and visitors.
Book a same-day consultation. Message us on WhatsApp, email team@thewellnesslondon.com, or call +44 20 3951 3429.
Frequently asked questions about UTI treatment in London
How quickly can I get UTI treatment in London?
A private telephone consultation with a GMC-registered doctor is available the same day, and where antibiotics are appropriate the prescription is sent to a pharmacy near you. Symptoms usually start to ease within a day or two of starting treatment.
How long is a course of antibiotics for cystitis?
NICE guideline NG109 recommends 3 days for most non-pregnant women aged 16 and over, and 7 days for men and for pregnant women.
What are the signs of a kidney infection?
A temperature, pain in the back or side below the ribs, shivering, nausea or vomiting and feeling very unwell. These need same-day assessment rather than routine UTI treatment.
Can a pharmacist prescribe antibiotics for a UTI?
In England, Pharmacy First allows pharmacists to treat uncomplicated lower UTI in non-pregnant women aged 16 to 64. Men, pregnant women, women with recurrent UTIs and people over 64 should see a doctor.
Do cranberry products cure a UTI?
No. NICE found no good evidence that cranberry products or urine alkalinisers treat an active infection.
Can I get UTI treatment as a visitor to London?
Yes. A private GP can assess you by telephone or video the same day and send a prescription to a pharmacy near your hotel, with no NHS registration needed.
This article is for information and does not replace personal medical advice. If you have a high temperature with back pain, are vomiting, feel very unwell or are pregnant with symptoms, seek same-day medical care, and in an emergency call 999. Written and reviewed by the clinical team at The Wellness. Last updated September 2026.