The Pharmacy First services enables community pharmacies to complete episodes of care for 7 common conditions following defined clinical pathways.
This service will give people quicker and more convenient access to safe and high quality healthcare. It includes the supply of appropriate medicines for 7 common conditions including ear ache, sore throat, and urinary tract infections, aiming to address health issues before they get worse.
Community pharmacies offer a more convenient way to access healthcare that includes support with healthy eating, exercise, stopping smoking, monitoring your blood pressure, contraception, flu and covid vaccinations.
The following table shows the 7 conditions pharmacists can manage across various age ranges.
| Clinical pathway | Age range |
|---|---|
| Acute otitis media* | 1 to 17 years |
| Impetigo | 1 year and over |
| Infected insect bites | 1 year and over |
| Shingles | 18 years and over |
| Sinusitis | 12 years and over |
| Sore throat | 5 years and over |
| Uncomplicated urinary tract infections | Women 16 – 64 years |
Patients will be able to access the 7 clinical pathways element via referrals from referring organisations including general practice, urgent and emergency care settings, and NHS 11 (online and via telephone). In addition, for the 7 common conditions clinical pathway consultations only, patients can access the service by attending or contacting the pharmacy directly without the need for referral.
Further information:
- find a participations pharmacy – healthcare professionals can use the NHS Service Finder to locate pharmacies that are participating in the service.