Services Database Community Pharmacy Minor Ailments Service (Bury, Rochdale, Stockport, Salford, Manchester)

The pharmacist and their team will provide advice and support to people on the management of minor ailments, including where necessary, the supply of medicines for the treatment of the minor ailment, for those people who would have otherwise gone to their GP or other healthcare provider for a prescription.

Patients requiring advice only for their minor ailment rather than treatment should be provided with the advice free of charge as described in the NHS Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework’s Essential Service 6.

The pharmacy will operate a triage system, including referral to other health and social care professionals, where appropriate, in line with local signposting procedures.

The service is part of the response to urgent care pressures to encourage people to use pharmacy as the first point of access to primary care for the treatment of self-limiting conditions.

The pharmacy contractor has a duty to ensure that pharmacists and staff involved in the provision of the service have relevant knowledge and are appropriately trained in the operation of the service. 

The pharmacy contractor has a duty to ensure that pharmacists and staff involved in the provision of the service are aware of and operate within local protocols. 

All pharmacists providing the service are to self-declare their competence using the ‘Declaration of Competence for Community Pharmacy Service- Minor Ailments’ available at www.cppe.ac.uk. Pharmacist should ensure they re-accredit in line with the requirements of the ‘Declaration of Competence’. This is usually every three years.