If you have symptoms that suggest you may have one of seven common minor ailments covered under the new Pharmacy First service, you can now walk into a pharmacy and be offered a consultation with the pharmacist. Under the new service pharmacists can provide advice and, if clinically necessary, will offer medication (NHS prescription charges apply if you normally pay for your medication). Should the pharmacy team be unable to help, you will be directed to your GP surgery or A&E as appropriate.
By thinking ‘Pharmacy First’, people will find it easier and quicker to get the help they need without needing to book an appointment with their GP. The new service is part of a wider expansion of healthcare services that will empower pharmacists to use more of their skills and give people more choice about their healthcare. It is hoped that the service will be expanded to include more conditions in the future.
The Pharmacy First service enables members of the public to visit pharmacies, as a first port of call, for help with a range of common minor conditions.
The service enables pharmacists to offer advice to patients and supply NHS medicines (including antibiotics), where clinically appropriate, for:
If you have a condition not currently covered by Pharmacy First, we will still be here to provide advice on the best course of action as usual.
In a consultation with a pharmacist, people who show symptoms of one of the seven common conditions will be given advice, and where clinically relevant provided with treatment. If the pharmacy team cannot help with the condition the patient is presenting with, we will refer them on to the appropriate healthcare provider.
In addition to this, patients can continue to be able to access emergency prescription medicines or consultations on other minor conditions where they have been referred to the pharmacy by NHS 111, their GP surgery or other settings.
Please contact us if you would like advice before attending the pharmacy, or alternatively you can book an appointment online using the link below.
