Pharmacy First
The Pharmacy First service commenced on 31st January 2024
About the Service
The new Advanced service involves pharmacists providing advice and NHS-funded treatment, where clinically appropriate, for seven common conditions:
- sinusitis
- sore throat
- acute otitis media
- infected insect bite
- impetigo
- shingles
- uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women
Consultations for these seven clinical pathways can be provided to patients presenting to the pharmacy as well as those referred by NHS 111, general practices and others.
The service will also incorporate the existing elements of the Community Pharmacist Consultation Service, i.e. minor illness consultations with a pharmacist and the supply of urgent medicines (and appliances), both following a referral from NHS 111, general practices and other authorised healthcare providers (i.e. patients are not able to present to the pharmacy without a referral).
In the clinical pathway consultations with a pharmacist, people with symptoms suggestive of the seven conditions will be provided with advice and will be supplied, where clinically necessary, with a prescription-only treatment under a Patient Group Direction (PGD) or in one pathway, an over-the-counter medicine (supplied under a clinical protocol), all at NHS expense.
In the future, we hope that independent prescribers will be able to use their skills to complete episodes of care within the service, without the need for a PGD. However, for the time being, all pharmacists providing the service must use the PGDs and clinical protocol.
The consultations can be provided to patients who self-refer to the pharmacy (e.g. walk-ins) as well as those referred by NHS 111, GPs and others. The service will also incorporate the current Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (CPCS), meaning there will be three elements to the Pharmacy First service:
- Pharmacy First (clinical pathways consultations) – 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
One Page Summaries
NUMARK Triage Documents
NUMARK have kindly shared a number of visuals around triaging conditions that can be used to support community pharmacy colleagues with Pharmacy First. Any references to Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales can be discounted as they are not applicable in our area. We appreciate NUMARK allowing our members access to these files. They can be accessed individually or as a ZIP folder via the links below .
Summer Pharmacy First Social Media Assets
Seasonal posters have been developed for use in pharmacies and on social media to promote the service. To access these, follow the links below.
- ZIP Folder (containing all 8 assets)
- Overview
- Earache
- Impetigo
- Insect Bite
- Shingles
- Sinusitis
- Sore throat
- UTI
Key Information
More information, including videos and FAQs, can be found on
CPSSOT Pharmacy First Service newsletter
NHSBSA: Pharmacy First Service (PFS)
Out of Hours Contacts for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Pharmacies: This is a list of contact details for local out of hours GPs, NHS111, Urgent Care and key contacts. Please do not share this list with the public.
Pharmacy First Pack for Receptionists and Care Navigators
Pharmacy First Supporting Information for GPs
‘Help Us, Help You’ – Pharmacy Campaign Toolkit
Pharmacy First Reports via Pharmoutcomes
CPPE: Pharmacy First self-assessment framework and other resources
CPE: Pharmacy First: To Reject or Not To Reject
