Pharmacy First

The NHS Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (CPCS) is a national Advanced Service to refer patients requiring low acuity advice, treatment and urgent repeat prescriptions to community pharmacies.

The scheme works by giving patients the option to visit their pharmacist to receive advice and treatment for certain minor illnesses, instead of having to make an appointment to see their GP on a range of minor health.

How does the service work?

When a patient with minor illness symptoms contacts their GP practice requesting an appointment the receptionist will ask them a series of questions. If their symptoms are appropriate, the GP practice can refer them for a same-day consultation with a community pharmacist. With the patient’s consent, the practice team can send an electronic referral message to the pharmacy the patient has chosen, to support safe follow up and audit.

Patients can also refer themselves to the Pharmacy using this link:

https://www.patienttriage.co.uk/cadbury-heath-healthcare

Following the referral, the pharmacist will contact the patient the same day by phone and either carry out the consultation by telephone, or arrange for the patient to attend the pharmacy, if appropriate. Some patients may be offered a video consultation by the pharmacist.

The pharmacist will take the patient’s clinical history and ask about symptoms and any current medication. Following the consultation, the pharmacist will offer clinical advice and may sell the patient an over-the-counter product if appropriate and they agree.

Pharmacists are trained to recognise ‘red flag’ symptoms suggestive of more serious illness and after initial triage, where symptoms do suggest something more serious, the pharmacist will help the patient to arrange an urgent GP appointment using the practice’s dedicated professional number or escalate to an urgent care setting such as the emergency department, if needed.

The pharmacist will make a record of the outcome of the consultation and send it to the patient’s GP by secure digital message.

List of conditions to be treated by the Community Pharmacy Team:

Acne

Athlete’s foot

Back-ache,sprains and strains

Colds/Flu/High Temperature

Conjunctivitis

Constipation

Coughs

Diarrhoea

Dandruff

Dry eyes