The Pharmacy First service takes referrals from general practice into community pharmacies. The pharmacies then provide a minor illness consultation, which may include the supply of a medicine that would otherwise have to be prescribed by a GP. NHS 111 and Urgent and Emergency Care settings can also refer to the service.

From 31 January 2024 pharmacists across England have been able to supply prescription-only medicines to treat seven common conditions.

 Pete Horrock, a pharmacist at Crook Pharmacy, Co. Durham explains:

“Professionally it’s really rewarding offering this service. We get patients coming in for the seven common conditions and it’s absolutely clear that we’ve been able to see these patients when they need seeing. They’re not being caught up in the system, not being held up having to wait for appointments.

“Most pharmacies will offer a walk-in service, and we’ll see patients at their turn in the queue – the treatments that we can now give on the Pharmacy First service means that patients are getting the right treatments at the right time and can get on.”

Building relationships with practices and patients

Pharmacies have used the service to build stronger relationships with both GP practices and patients.

 Abi Fraser, Pharmacist, Clemitsons Pharmacy Crook explains:

“The relationship between the pharmacy and the practice started small…The clinicians built up trust in the judgment of the pharmacists within our pharmacy and that is why we’re now carrying out such an involved triage role for the patients on a daily basis”.

“We see a huge variety of GP patients from very uncomplicated verrucas on feet that never needed to be in front of a GP in the first place, to patients where there’s something more complex going on that the GP wants more information on.”

Abi recognises that over the years the Pharmacy First referral system has been developed her own confidence has also grown.

“This has been cemented by the feedback we’ve had from local practices. I now feel like I can roll out our procedures to other local pharmacists and now also to other pharmacies within our PCN area.”

Lesley, a patient at the practice explains the benefits of the service from the patient perspective, which includes cutting out the middleman when it comes to collecting prescriptions for routine conditions.

“The benefits for me as a pharmacy patient was the swiftness of being seen. Abi had the knowledge and expertise, the same as what I would have had if I’d attended the GP surgery.

“I was just able to get the prescriptions straight away, no hanging around waiting for prescriptions to be transferred from one place to another. It was quick and easy, and it was perfect for me.”

The service is gradually changing the way community pharmacy is being viewed by patients.

Lesley explains:

“What I came to realise, and what I was surprised about, is the expertise and the knowledge that the pharmacists had …. I’ve no hesitation of going in to a pharmacist ever again.”

Pharmacists are also seeing the benefits of the service in terms of satisfied patients

“In my experience the most common conditions that we see have been sore throats and uncomplicated urinary tract infection, and over the last month I’ve seen a lot of infected insect bites and been able to treat them,” says Pete.

Abi concludes:

“To me Pharmacy First is a huge positive step for patient satisfaction – they have a convenient, accessible service at their local community pharmacy and can often get reassurance or same-day treatment if that’s what’s necessary.”

For more information about using Pharmacy First visit https://www.england.nhs.uk/primary-care/pharmacy/pharmacy-services/pharmacy-first/