‘Pharmacy First’ celebrates one-year anniversary after successful launch

Community pharmacy leaders at NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (NHS STW) are once again urging residents across the county to ‘Think Pharmacy First’, as the scheme passes its one-year anniversary.

Twelve months after the launch of the advanced service, Pharmacy First enables people to go directly to participating pharmacies for appropriate treatment and advice for seven common conditions, as well as oral contraception without a prescription, and blood pressure checks.

Successes to date for the Pharmacy First programme include just under 44,000 consultations completed in community pharmacies, which would otherwise have taken place in GP practices, urgent care settings or through NHS 111. This has also resulted in approximately 7,300 hours saved of GPs’ and other healthcare professionals’ time.

Just under 2,000 oral contraception consultations have been undertaken, which has supported increased access beyond traditional General Practice and sexual health settings. Plus, 20,000 blood pressure checks have potentially prevented two deaths, four strokes, and two heart attacks across Shropshire Telford and Wrekin.

All community pharmacies across the county are signed up to Pharmacy First, meaning patients can access help without seeing a doctor. The seven common health conditions include sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bites, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women.

The scheme also allows GP practices, urgent and emergency care settings and NHS 111 to refer patients to community pharmacies for other minor ailments and urgent repeat prescriptions. Most of the time an appointment isn’t needed, and all community pharmacies across the county have consultation rooms available for private conversations.

James Milner, Pharmacist and Head of Pharmacy and Workforce at NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, said: “One year on, and following a successful 12-month period, Pharmacy First has helped to cement the increasingly important role of community pharmacy teams in offering timely access to NHS services.

“Members of the public are becoming more and more aware that our highly qualified pharmacy teams are on hand to offer expert advice for minor health concerns and can direct people to other healthcare services if required – which is great news.

“I am thrilled we have seen such success in the first year of Pharmacy First and would like to thank all our pharmacy teams for taking on this challenge with such dedication and professionalism.”

Dr Lorna Clarson, GP and Chief Medical Officer at NHS STW, said: “More so than ever before, community pharmacy teams are working alongside GP practices to provide more access to healthcare advice and treatment - becoming an important and valued partner of General Practice.

“Our residents are likely to be seen quicker in community pharmacy, may not need to book an appointment, plus the pharmacy team will ensure GP colleagues are aware of any treatments offered so records are kept up to date. Pharmacy First, and our community pharmacy teams, have become integral to our local improvement plans which ultimately helps us to enhance access to NHS services and provide better experiences for our patients and residents.”