NHS England Pharmacy First campaign uses accessible formats
The new NHS Pharmacy First campaign is raising awareness about pharmacies being able to provide prescriptions for seven conditions without patients needing to see a GP, as part of a major transformation in the way the NHS delivers care.
Highly trained pharmacists at more than nine in ten pharmacies can now assess and treat patients for the following conditions, without the need for a GP appointment:
- earache
- impetigo
- infected insect bites
- shingles
- sinusitis
- sore throat
- urinary tract infections (UTIs) for women aged 16-64.
Available on the high-street, community pharmacy teams have the right clinical training to give people the health advice they need, with no appointment necessary and private consultations available. Community pharmacists will signpost patients to other local services where necessary.
By expanding the services community pharmacies offer, the NHS is aiming to help free up GP appointments and give people more choice in how and where they access care.
Don’t wait for minor health concerns to get worse – think pharmacy first and get seen by your local pharmacy team.
Resources have been produced in alternative formats including easy read, large print, audio, BSL and braille versions.
All assets are available on the Campaign Resource Centre (CRC) and some are also below.
Video
How pharmacists can help with minor illnesses | Think pharmacy first | NHS (BSL) – YouTube. A 39 second video with captions and BSL of Reena a community pharmacist, explaining how your local pharmacist can now provide support for seven conditions without you needing to see a GP first.
Posters and leaflets
Easy Read leaflet for NHS Pharmacy First (PDF, 729 KB)
Large Print Poster of NHS Pharmacy First (PDF, 87 KB)
For more information, visit nhs.uk/thinkpharmacyfirst.
End
Join our mailing list
If you would like to receive regular news and updates about our work, then you can sign up to our mailing list.