Pharmacy First

The NHS Confederation NHS Confederation Community Pharmacy. states that "Each year around 57 million GP appointments are made for minor ailments which could be treated by a pharmacist". Pharmacists are trained health professionals who can identify, provide advice and sell medication for the treatment of minor conditions. They can also identify more serious conditions which would need to be seen by your GP. All information provided to the pharmacist is treated with the strictest of confidence. By visiting the pharmacist the patient / customer could save time as no appointment is needed and many pharmacies are open in the evening and during the weekend. By visiting the pharmacy for minor ailments more GP appointments would become available for those patients with more serious conditions and those in greatest need.

How does the scheme work?

• The scheme means you may not need to wait for an appointment to see your doctor about the conditions listed. You can choose to go to a pharmacy for advice and treatment
• Small quantities of a limited range of medicines are available through the scheme. Age limits apply to some conditions
• If you do not usually pay for your prescriptions, your pharmacy will be able to supply medicines free of charge under the scheme
• If you receive a medicine through the scheme, you will need to sign a form provided by the pharmacy
• Using the scheme does not prevent you from seeing your doctor if you wish to do so
• The pharmacist may still refer you back to the doctor if they are unable to offer treatment e.g. if the illness is not treatable through the scheme, the customer / patient is excluded for a varieety of reasons and / or the medicine available through the scheme is inappropriate

What will I be asked at the pharmacy?

You will be asked questions about your symptoms and any other medication you may currently be taking. This is to make sure that any medicines you may be given are suitable for you. Any details you give to your pharmacist are confidential. The pharmacist will also tell you the best way to take the medicine and of any other possible ways to manage your ailment. Not everyone will need medication. Any medicine supplied is only for you. Your medicine may not be right for someone else, even if they already have something similar.

The Pharmacy First Scheme allows the prescribing of different antimicrobial and corticosteroid therapies by the pharmacist and concentrates on 7 main ailments including:

• Earache (Could be caused by Acute Otitis Media)
• Impetigo
• Infected Insect Bites
• Shingles
• Sinusitis
• Sore Throat
• Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections in Women       

Numarknet has its own separate Pharmacy First course and it can be found at the following link Pharmacy First  or within the Pharmacy Excellence part of the Numarknet training platform.