Information on national pharmacy services
Published on: 10th July 2024 | Updated on: 22nd January 2025
This webpage provides information on NHS community pharmacy services which are provided by the majority of pharmacies in England.
It is aimed at non-healthcare professionals, for example, patient representative groups, employers or headteachers/nursery managers of schools and nurseries, as a place where they can find out more information about pharmacy services and what resources are available to share with their intended audience.
For example, employers may want to share information about the Pharmacy First service with their employees in order to help them get treated more rapidly when they suffer from minor illness, thereby resulting in reduced absenteeism at work. Similarly, raising the awareness of parents and carers of children about the availability of Pharmacy First could help reduce the number of school days missed by children as a result of minor illness.
If you require further information on a service, or if there is a resource that you would like to see developed, to help promote the service to patients and the public, please email services.team@cpe.org.uk.
Click on a heading below for more information
What is the Pharmacy First service?
This free NHS service allows people to get quick access to healthcare advice as they can walk into a pharmacy and access the service, removing the potential delay of having to wait for a GP appointment.
The person will be offered a consultation with a pharmacist in a private consultation room, with some pharmacies also offering the service remotely as a video consultation. A person can also be electronically referred by certain healthcare professionals including a person’s GP to a pharmacy of their choice for the service.
The service supports the following seven conditions:
- Earache (aged 1 to 17 years)
- Impetigo (aged 1 year and over)
- Infected insect bites (aged 1 year and over)
- Shingles (aged 18 years and over)
- Sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
- Sore throats (aged 5 years and over)
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women (aged 16 to 64 years)
The pharmacist will provide advice and, if clinically necessary, a prescription medicine to treat the condition (NHS prescription charges apply if the person normally pays for medicines supplied on prescription).
An electronic message will be sent to the person’s GP surgery so their GP health record can be updated.
Should the pharmacist be unable to help, the person will be directed to their GP surgery or other health professional as appropriate.
Resources to promote the service to patients and the public
Template copy for websites or newsletters aimed at the public
This document contains content to promote the service to the public on websites or in newsletters.
Pharmacy First poster for use with the general public
This could be displayed in public areas of employers’ premises or in staff rooms to promote the service to employees.
Pharmacy First digital screen content
This could be used on digital screens within workplaces.
Pharmacy First animation
Our animation is aimed at members of the public and it provides clear and concise information about the Pharmacy First service, highlighting the seven conditions how people can access the service. The animation can be linked to social media content and you can download a copy to play on digital screens.
You can show the animation at meetings directly from YouTube or you can download a copy via the link below.
Open this folder to download the following resources:
- Full animation
- Full animation with subtitles
- Clip 1: About the service and how it works
- Clip 2: The value of the service
- Social media cards
- Suggested social media posts
Resources for schools and nurseries to promote the service to parents/carers
- Poster
The poster could be displayed in the waiting area on noticeboards or in the teacher’s break room. These could also be printed as leaflets and included in the children’s school bags for parents/carers to see when they get home. - Digital screens
If schools or nurseries have a digital screen in their waiting room, you could show the animation on it (see above) we have digital screen materials which can be played. - Template copy for school or nursery websites or newsletters
This document contains content to promote the service to parents/carers of children on websites or in newsletters. - Template email/letter from headteacher/nursery manager
A template news story that headteachers/nursery managers could send out to parents/carers about the Pharmacy First service for:
What is the Flu Vaccination Service?
Each year pharmacy teams provide an NHS Flu Vaccination Service to people aged 18 years and older who are eligible to receive a free vaccination.
Delayed start for the 2024/25 NHS Flu Vaccination Service
NHS England has decided that most eligible people won’t be offered an NHS flu jabs until 3rd October 2024 this year (pregnant women can be vaccinated from 1st September 2024). In previous years flu jabs have been offered from September.
The change in the timing follows clinical advice from the Government’s independent clinical advisors, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, that starting later would be better for patients.
This is because the positive effect of the flu vaccine – increasing people’s protection from flu viruses – reduces over time following the vaccination. Getting the vaccination at a slightly later time will make it more likely that the person’s immune response to the virus is higher when flu virus levels are at their highest.
Resources to promote the service to patients and the public
People with learning disabilities and the flu injection
Easy-read information with information for people with learning disabilities, their family, carers and paid supporters (National Development Team for Inclusion).
NHS England short video on flu vaccination for people with a learning disability and autistic people
The video covers why it is important eligible people have a flu vaccination, who is eligible for a free vaccine, reasonable adjustments, consent and decision making. A parent of a 16-year-old with a learning disability describes how primary care can support families to make sure their relatives can have their vaccination.
The flu jab for people with learning disabilities
YouTube video showing a patient with learning disabilities having a flu vaccination (NHS England).
Find our more information on flu vaccines
There is more information on flu vaccines on the NHS website.
Find a pharmacy that provides the NHS Flu Vaccination Service
On the NHS website, there is a webpage that allows patients to enter their postcode to find a nearby pharmacy that offers the NHS Flu Vaccination Service.
What is the NHS Blood Pressure Check Service?
Pharmacy teams are offering free NHS blood pressure checks to people aged 40 and over, often with no appointment necessary. This involves around 10-15 minutes in the pharmacy consultation room with pharmacy staff. Following this, patients may be invited to take home a blood pressure monitor that measures the patient’s blood pressure as they go about their daily life. Depending on the patient’s blood pressure reading they may be referred to their GP. The pharmacy staff will guide the patient through any necessary steps depending on their blood pressure result.
Find a pharmacy that provides the NHS Blood Pressure Check Service
On the NHS website, there is a webpage that allows patients to enter their postcode to find a nearby pharmacy that offers the NHS Blood Pressure Check Service.
Resources to promote the service to patients and the public
What is the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service?
A pharmacist may be able to supply the contraceptive pill if a patient needs to:
- Start using the contraceptive pill for the first time
- Start the contraceptive pill again after a break from taking it
- Get a supply of the contraceptive pill if it’s already been prescribed
If the pharmacist gives a patient the contraceptive pill they will share this information with the patient’s GP if they give permission for them to do so.
Find a pharmacy that provides the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service
On the NHS website, there is a webpage that allows patients to enter their postcode to find a nearby pharmacy that offers the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service.
What is the NHS COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test service?
Pharmacy staff can provide free COVID-19 rapid lateral flow tests to patients if they’re at risk of being seriously ill with COVID-19 (and would therefore be eligible for treatment for COVID-19).
When patients collect free COVID-19 tests, they’ll need to tell the pharmacy their:
- name
- address
- date of birth
- medical condition
If they’ve been sent a letter or email from the NHS about COVID-19 treatments, they should show this at the pharmacy to help confirm their eligibility.
Anyone collecting COVID-19 tests on their behalf will also need to give their name and address.
Find a pharmacy that provides the supply of free NHS COVID-19 rapid lateral flow tests
On the NHS website, there is a webpage that allows you to enter your postcode to find a nearby pharmacy that offers free COVID-19 rapid lateral flow tests.
For more information on this topic please email comms.team@cpe.org.uk
