Pharmacy First service - coming soon

The NHS is due to launch a new service called Pharmacy First at the end of January, which will allow patients to access more treatments directly from community pharmacies.

The service will replace the Community Pharmacy Consultation service, which already delivers more than 10,000 patient interventions in a pharmacy setting each month in Cheshire and Merseyside.

The Pharmacy First service will be available to patients on referral from GPs, NHS 111, and NHS walk-in centres/urgent care centres. It will offer treatment for seven common conditions, including:

• sinusitis
• a sore throat
• earache
• infected insect bites
• impetigo
• shingles
• uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women

Over 90% of Community Pharmacies in Cheshire and Merseyside have signed up to deliver the Pharmacy First service, and a range of webinars, training events and support resources are being provided to help support readiness amongst pharmacy staff.

We will continue to share more information about this new service as it becomes available.