Pharmacy First Summary Report

This is a report by Healthwatch Coventry. It looks at the Pharmacy First scheme in the local area.

The project aimed to find out people's experiences of the Pharmacy First scheme. The office wanted to hear what people’s experiences are of it, to identify any positive and negative experiences to inform the service and feed into the Needs Assessment of Pharmacies, as part of the local authority feedback. The aim was also to hear what the Pharmacists thought of the service and how it 
worked for them.

164 people completed a survey in person and online, 42 of these people who were involved in focus groups.

Overall the reception to the scheme was positive, however some pharmacies found the extra work demanding on top of what they already do. Awareness amongst the public, plus access issues could also be addressed.

There are recommendations in this report:

• Increase marketing and communication of Pharmacy First for doctors and pharmacies.
• Have a chair available in pharmacies, if there isn’t one already.
• Raise awareness of how pharmacies can treat minor ailments efficiently and professionally.
• Raise awareness around charging structures for people who are accessing Pharmacy First. If you are exempt, you should not pay for these.
• Raise awareness of referrals between pharmacies and GPs and that people can see their pharmacy again if the treatment is unsuccessful.