NHS Pharmacy First
The new Pharmacy First Service will enable community Pharmacists to complete episodes of care for patients without the need for the patient to visit their general practice. This alongside expansions to the pharmacy blood pressure checking and contraception services, will save up to 10 million general practice team appointments a year and help patients access quicker and more convenient care, including the supply of appropriate medicines for minor illness.
The Pharmacy First Service builds on the previous Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (CPCS) by enabling community pharmacies to manage patients for seven common conditions, following specific clinical pathways. The overal service consists of three core elements:
- Pharmacy First (clinical pathways) - new element
- Pharmacy First (urgent repeat medicine supply) - previously commissioned as the CPCS
- Pharmacy First (NHS referrals for minor illness) - previously commissioned as the CPCS
Patients will access the new clinical pathway element by walking into the pharmacy directly or where appropriate, by contacting them by video consultation. In addition, patients will access the service via referrals from:
- NHS 111 (online, telephone or NHS app)
- integrated urgent care clinical assessment services
- urgent treatment centres
- emergency departments
- 999
- general practice ( GPs cannot make a referral for urgent repeat medicine supply)
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