The new NHS Pharmacy First service, launched on 31 January 2024, enables patients across England to access care and treatment without the need to visit their GP.

As well as providing existing services like blood pressure checking, contraception, and advice on common medical conditions, pharmacies will now be able to assess patients and provide treatment (including antibiotics and antivirals) for seven common conditions, covering:

• sinusitis (ages 12 years and over)
• sore throat (ages 5 years and over)
• earache (ages 1 to 17 years)
• impetigo (ages 1 year and over)
• shingles (ages 18 years and over)
• uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women (UTI’s) (ages 16 – 64 years)
• infected insect bites (ages 1 year and over)

How do I know which pharmacies are offering the Pharmacy First service?

More than 10,000 pharmacies have already signed up to Pharmacy First – over 95 per cent of all those in England. 

• Find out which pharmacies are participating in the new scheme here

Many pharmacies have late opening hours, making the process of getting medication a lot easier. Four in five people in England can reach a community pharmacy within a 20-minute walk and there are twice as many pharmacies in the most deprived communities, making access to care easier.

How can I access the service?

Patients can access the service without an appointment by walking into their local pharmacy, or by video consultation (where available). In addition, patients can access the service via referrals from:

• NHS 111 (online, telephone and NHS App)
• integrated urgent care clinical assessment services
• urgent treatment centres
• emergency departments
• 999
• general practice (GPs cannot make a referral for urgent repeat medicine supply)