What is Pharmacy First?
Launched on 31 January 2024, Pharmacy First builds on the NHS Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (since 2019). It allows community pharmacies to treat 7 common conditions without needing a GP appointment, following set clinical pathways.

Benefits
This service is part of the NHS plan to improve primary care access. It enables quicker treatment, reduces pressure on GPs, and helps patients manage minor illnesses conveniently. Patients can get certain prescription medications directly from pharmacies, avoiding delays.

Pharmacists also support health advice on smoking, exercise, healthy eating, blood pressure, vaccinations, and contraception. Over 90% of patients report receiving good advice from community pharmacists.

Conditions Treated Through Pharmacy First

* Distance-selling pharmacies cannot treat acute otitis media.

Accessing the Service
Patients can be referred by GPs, NHS 111, and urgent care services. They can also self-refer by visiting or contacting a pharmacy directly.

How It Works
Pharmacists follow evidence-based clinical pathways, offering self-care advice and prescription-only medicines where appropriate. These pathways are designed in collaboration with GPs, NICE, and other health experts to ensure high standards of care.

Pharmacies have private consultation rooms, and pharmacists are trained to identify serious symptoms requiring further referral. After consultations, pharmacists notify the patient’s GP.

More Information

• Use the NHS Service Finder to locate participating pharmacies.

• Access service documents including clinical pathways and directions.

• NHS Business Services Authority provides data on service usage.

The Minor Ailment Scheme allows eligible patients to receive free advice and treatment for common health conditions directly from a community pharmacy—without needing to see a GP.

Who can use the service?

You can use the Minor Ailment Scheme if you do not pay for your prescriptions. This includes:

• Children

• People on certain benefits

• Other groups entitled to free NHS prescriptions

You do not need an appointment. Simply visit your local participating community pharmacy.

What conditions are covered?

The scheme covers a wide range of minor health issues, including:

• Athlete’s foot

• Cold sores

• Constipation

• Coughs, colds, fever

• Cystitis

• Dermatitis / skin rashes

• Diarrhoea

• Earache

• Eye infections

• Hay fever

• Head lice

• Headache

• Indigestion / heartburn

• Insect bites & stings

• Mouth ulcers

• Nappy rash

• Scabies

• Teething

• Threadworms

• Thrush

• Verrucas & warts

What to expect:

• A trained pharmacist will offer clinical advice

• You may receive appropriate treatment or medication

• The service is free of charge if you're eligible

This service helps you manage minor health concerns quickly and easily—while reducing pressure on GPs and urgent care services.

For more information, visit your local community pharmacy or speak to your GP surgery.

This service helps identify and prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) by:

• Checking blood pressure of people aged 40+ who haven't been diagnosed with hypertension.

• Referring those with suspected high blood pressure to their GP.

• Promoting healthy behaviours and lifestyle changes.

• Providing blood pressure checks at the request of general practice, including ambulatory monitoring.

Why it matters
CVD is the second leading cause of premature death in England, affecting 7 million people. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes, but early detection and treatment can prevent serious illness. The NHS aims to prevent 150,000 strokes and heart attacks over 10 years through early intervention.

How the Service Works
Pharmacists offer free blood pressure checks to adults who:

• Are over 40

• Have no prior hypertension diagnosis

• Haven’t had their blood pressure checked in the last 6 months

Outcomes based on readings:

• Normal – Healthy lifestyle advice

• High – Ambulatory monitoring + lifestyle advice

• Very high – Urgent GP referral within 24 hours + GP notified

• Low – Advice and possible GP referral

All readings are shared with the patient's GP.

GP Involvement
GPs can refer patients for clinic or ambulatory BP monitoring at a pharmacy. There is flexibility for local agreements on how referrals work, allowing tailored support between practices and pharmacies.

The New Medicine Service helps patients start and manage newly prescribed medicines for long-term conditions, improving medicine adherence and overall health outcomes—at a lower cost to the NHS.

Who is eligible?
The service is available to patients (with appropriate consent) who are prescribed a new medicine for a long-term condition. Carers or guardians can be involved if the patient cannot give consent.

How it works:
Pharmacists provide structured support through follow-up consultations, helping patients understand their treatment, address concerns, and make shared decisions about their care. It’s also an opportunity to promote lifestyle changes.

Eligible conditions include:

• Asthma & COPD

• Type 2 diabetes

• Hypertension

• High cholesterol

• Osteoporosis

• Gout

• Glaucoma

• Epilepsy

• Parkinson’s disease

• Urinary incontinence/retention

• Heart failure

• Acute coronary syndromes

• Atrial fibrillation

• Long-term risk of blood clots

• Stroke or TIA

• Coronary heart disease

Pharmacist requirements:
Pharmacists must complete a self-assessment to confirm they are competent to provide the service. The form and guidance are available at: psnc.org.uk/nms

What is the service?
This service supports patients who began a stop smoking programme in hospital to continue their quit journey at a community pharmacy after discharge. It promotes healthy behaviour and helps improve long-term quit rates.

Why it matters
Smoking is a leading cause of preventable illness and early death in the UK. It causes around 79,000 deaths and 474,000 hospital admissions each year, costing the NHS £2.5 billion annually. Helping people quit smoking improves health and reduces NHS pressure.

Continuing support after hospital discharge has been shown to increase quit rates by 11% and could save the NHS £85 million a year.

Who is eligible?
Patients must:

• Have started a stop smoking attempt in hospital

• Be referred by a participating hospital

• Not have completed their quit attempt before discharge

How it works

• Patients choose the community pharmacy they want to continue their quit support with.

• A pharmacist provides up to 12 weeks of support via in-person or phone consultations.

• They will review and adjust nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and supply products free of charge as needed.

When and where is it available?
Launched in March 2022, the service is being rolled out nationwide in line with the NHS Long Term Plan. By March 2024, all hospital patients will be offered NHS-funded stop smoking support.

More info:

• NHS Smoking Cessation Service (SCS) Specification

Why it matters:
Community pharmacies offer a convenient, accessible way for people to manage their contraception. This helps reduce pressure on GPs and sexual health clinics and supports health equality by reaching high-risk and underserved groups.

What the service offers:

• Ongoing supply of oral contraception

• Initiation of oral contraception (from Dec 2023)

• All supplies are made under a Patient Group Direction (PGD)

• Confidential consultations with trained pharmacists

• No prescription charges apply

• People can self-refer or be referred by GPs or sexual health clinics

• Individuals do not need to be registered with a GP

Who is eligible:

• Anyone from menarche up to 49 years for Combined Oral Contraceptive (COC)

• From menarche up to 54 years for Progestogen Only Pill (POP)

How it works:

• A pharmacist will provide a private consultation

• Together with the patient, they’ll decide on safe and appropriate supply

• GPs are only informed if the patient consents

Background:
This service is part of the NHS Long Term Plan and Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework to increase prevention services and improve access to contraception, especially in underserved areas.

Find a pharmacy offering this service:
Find a pharmacy that offers the contraceptive pill without a prescription – NHS

More info:

• Service specification & PGDs