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Pharmacy First

The Pharmacy First scheme provides professional health care advice, treatments, and medicines for common illnesses from your local pharmacy, without the need for an appointment.

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Reminder: Revised Pharmacy First clinical pathways from October

The updated pathways contain new Gateway Points and will come into effect in October.

02 Sep 2025

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Boots tops a million Pharmacy First consultations

'A significant moment' says the company's services director.

15 Aug 2025

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Pharmacies asked to record sore throat consultations for PQS audit

Audit will focus on antimicrobial stewardship in sore throat consultations.

12 Aug 2025

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Acute sinusitis: treatment and management

Learn how to identify sinusitis and understand the role of sea water spray in managing associated congestion

23 Jul 2025

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Introducing Strefen Spray

Discover how Strefen Spray can help ease your customers’ acute sore throat symptoms

21 Jul 2025

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NPA chair reminds public about Pharmacy First UTI help after report warns of hospital costs

A Government report today warns urinary tract infections cost hospitals in England £604 million in 2023 to 2024.

15 Jul 2025

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Pharmacy First “working well” for patients says watchdog

...but more research needed to test outcomes before expanding service, Healthwatch suggests.

01 Jul 2025

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Calls to ‘turbo charge’ pharmacy services as hours wasted in A&E

The NPA wants to expand Pharmacy First to help tackle A&E logjam.

30 Jun 2025

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CCA says members have provided over one million Pharmacy First consultations

The Company Chemists’ Association said its member pharmacies rolled out consultations to nearly 9,000 patients during the Easter weekend.

30 Jun 2025

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Labour ‘expects’ £215m Pharmacy First budget to be spent – but makes no guarantees

Boosting public awareness should help ensure budget is spent, minister claims

10 Jun 2025

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NPA: Government must ‘turbo-charge’ Pharmacy First in NHS 10-year plan

An analysis by the National Pharmacy Association found having a service similar to the one in Scotland could save 14 million GP appointments each year.

06 Jun 2025

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Acute otitis media: a closer look

Kathy Oxtoby talks to pharmacists about how they manage otitis media and other common ear conditions.

05 Jun 2025

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CCA: Pharmacies may stop Pharmacy First because of ‘bundling’ requirement

Company Chemists' Association chief executive Malcolm Harrison said pharmacies should be allowed to provide home blood pressure monitoring as well as ABPM.

02 Jun 2025

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Over 5 million patients have used Pharmacy First since launch

Sore throat and UTI consultations perform strongly as NHS announces milestone.

29 May 2025

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Fund an extra staff member with just 18 NHS consultations a week, advises LPC chief

LPC chief Shilpa Shah presents a breakdown of how services can aid recruitment efforts

14 May 2025

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Pharmacy First consultation in Scotland helped diagnose leukaemia in patient

Independent prescriber Victoria Lang noticed the patient was unwell and became more concerned after going through their medical history.

14 Apr 2025

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