21 April 2024

Pharmacy First - 3 months on

We caught up with Community Pharmacy Nottinghamshire board member and Area Operations Manager for Well, Soumar Kaziz, MPharm, MSc, to find out how Pharmacy First is working almost 3 months after we launched it across England...

“Since January 31st, there have been over 1,000 Pharmacy First consultations conducted across Nottinghamshire. The most common conditions that we’re currently observing and treating within the Pharmacy First service are acute sore throat, followed by uncomplicated UTIs.

“When it comes to referral sources, most of the patients accessing Pharmacy First services are self-referrals or walk-ins. General practitioner (GP) referrals have been minimal due to limited training on PharmOutcomes and there is still a reliance on NHS mail for GP referrals.

“The response to Pharmacy First among customers and the wider local community has been overwhelmingly positive. There is notable attraction in busy areas where access to doctors is challenging and waiting lists are long.”