Pharmacy First myth busting series (#5)

This is the fifth of a series of articles to tackle some of the misconceptions around Pharmacy First. The articles will cover a variety of aspects of Pharmacy First and aims to myth bust, to increase understanding of the service.

I can accept a Pharmacy First Minor illness electronic referral for a blood pressure check.
Wrong! A Pharmacy First Minor illness electronic referral should not result in the need for a blood pressure check.

If a patient has been incorrectly electronically referred for a blood pressure check, instead of a Minor illness consultation, the patient should be rejected detailing the reason.

If the patient meets the inclusion criteria for the Hypertension case-finding service or falls into the category of patients that has been agreed locally with the GP practice that referrals can be accepted for, another electronic referral is not required, and the patient can be offered the Hypertension case-finding service instead.

If the patient does not meet the inclusion criteria for the Hypertension case-finding service or does not fall into the category of patients that has been agreed locally with the GP practice that referrals can be accepted for, another electronic referral will be required from the GP practice, this time for the Hypertension case-finding service.

On all occasions, the GP practice should be contacted to explain why the patient has been rejected and explain instead that in future, patients should be referred for the Hypertension case-finding service if a blood pressure check is required.

It is also important to note that if the consultation is recorded as a Pharmacy First Minor illness consultation, the GP Post Event Message (PEM) will go back to the GP patient record titled ‘Minor illness’. The IT system will not code the message correctly and any follow-on care, for example, if the patient’s blood pressure is high, may not get identified. Therefore, GP teams will not receive clinically significant consultation outcome information in the right way.

I have received a Pharmacy First Minor illness referral for a blood pressure check, so I can claim for a Pharmacy First Minor illness consultation and the Hypertension case-finding service.
Wrong! You cannot claim for the provision of both services. The patient should be rejected for the Pharmacy First Minor illness referral as explained above, and a claim should be made for only the Hypertension case-finding service, if this service is provided to the patient.

I must complete a consultation record on my Pharmacy First IT system if the patient has walked in (self-referred) for the Pharmacy First service and does not pass Gateway.
Wrong! There is no requirement to make an entry on the Pharmacy First IT system if the patient has walked in (self-referred) for the Pharmacy First service and does not pass Gateway. However, pharmacists may choose to make a clinical record of advice provided under the Support for self care Essential service.

View additional myths on our Pharmacy First myth busting page