Community Pharmacy Hot Topic Report

The Community Pharmacy Hot Topic Report explores the experiences of residents in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire with local pharmacies. It highlights the vital role of community pharmacies, with 97.5% of people  having used one in the past year. However, key challenges remain:

• Accessibility: While most found pharmacies easy to access, 5.4% faced difficulties due to limited hours, long wait times or perceived operational issues.
• Medicine Shortages: Over 40%  experienced shortages, leading to repeated visits, delays and stress, impacting both patient health and pharmacy workloads.
• Medicine Dispensing:  Issues include misaligned prescription quantities, difficulties managing multiple medications, and a lack of awareness about reasonable  adjustments like blister packs or large-print labels.
• Affordability: One in four people who pay for their prescriptions reported affordability issues and delay or skip medications as a result.
• Pharmacy First Scheme: 40% of people were  aware of the scheme, with mixed feedback, some valued the convenience, while others cited unclear eligibility, limited scope and concerns about pharmacists’ diagnostic capabilities.
• The report underscores that vulnerable groups, such as individuals with disabilities, long-term conditions, caregivers and those reliant on care, face greater challenges in accessing pharmacies, securing medications and receiving necessary dispensing adjustments.

Healthwatch Nottingham & Nottinghamshire urges the authorities to address these pressing concerns and offers recommendations to ensure equitable access to essential medications and pharmacy services.