Isle of Wight Pharmacies - Pharmacy First service update

Isle of Wight CCG are requesting that more community pharmacies on the island participate in the most useful and successful 'Pharmacy First' locally commissioned service.

This service was redesigned last year in July after consultation with the CPSC and following feedback from from pharmacies in order to make the service more accessible and simpler to operate. A referral option was also instigated whereby pharmacies could opt-in to receiving direct referrals from GP practice teams for appropriate patients to be sign-posted to their pharmacy for the service.

The referral element of the service is working well for those participating, so it is now appropriate to again request for pharmacies that initially did not consent to receive referrals to consider opting-in.

CPSC would appreciate as wide an uptake as possible to meet the requirements of this request. It’s important that

as many pharmacies as possible can provide and treat patients when they need it and ensure that community pharmacies are integrated in this way with the wider healthcare system.

ACTION REQUESTED If you have not already signed up to receive referrals, please complete the attached form and return to the medicines management team at the CCG as instructed on the form: Pharmacy First Referrals

The majority of patients are walk-ins/self-referrals and the medicine is supplied free of charge at the pharmacy’s discretion. It’s interesting that without the service almost half of the patients would have gone to the GP, and the other half would have purchased the item themselves. Isle of Wight CCG will use this information to remind pharmacies that the service is aimed at patients that wouldn’t normally pay for meds over the counter. PharmOutcomes will prompt pharmacy staff that the patient is open to buying OTC next time if they say that is what they would have done without the service. There are also cards for the pharmacy to prioritise pharmacy referral to GP if appropriate (available from the CCG - contact caroline.allen11@nhs.net )

Isle of Wight CCG are asking the GPs to refer requests for OTC medicines on prescription to the pharmacy, in line with NHS England Guidance, but the GPs are reporting back that the service delivery is still not consistent and is dependent on the pharmacist on duty. The CCG have adapted the Pharmacy First service to allow the counter assistants/dispensers to be able to recommend OTC medicines under the supervision of a pharmacist, as they do already, so the service no longer specifies a pharmacist consultation. PharmOutcomes can create additional log-ins for the store, or for the staff to facilitate claims to be made easily, if that will support more engagement with the service.