NIHR to open call for research on ‘Pharmacy First’ service
Pharmacy press
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has announced that it is planning to issue a call for research focused on understanding the impact, safety, cost effectiveness and acceptability of a potential Pharmacy First service, particularly “any implications for antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance”. The notice says the Pharmacy First service will commence “no earlier than the end of October 2023”.
CEO Janet Morrison said:
“PSNC is still awaiting news from Government on whether a Pharmacy First service, which we proposed to them in March 2022, will be commissioned as part of the Primary Care Recovery Plan. We strongly believe such a service would be a key solution to help improve patient access to the NHS and to support our colleagues in general practice, whilst also being the best chance to get significant additional funds into community pharmacy.”