Healthwatch England calls attention to public attitudes toward pharmacy services and challenges facing Pharmacy First rollout
Community pharmacies are highly utilised in England, serving over 1.6 million people every day. However, most people still consult a GP first when it comes to treating symptoms. This demand for GP services together with the decreasing number of GPs has led to many people experiencing delays in booking appointments.
In recognition, NHS England published its Primary Care Recovery Plan in May 2023 to streamline access to care and advice while alleviating pressure on general practice. An important aspect of this plan is to expand the role of community pharmacies, including enabling community pharmacies to supply prescription medication for several common conditions such as sore throat and earache through the launch of their Pharmacy First service.
However, the rollout of the plan and this service arrives when the number of community pharmacies is shrinking, with the total number of pharmacies reaching its lowest since 2015. Additionally, pharmacies are facing several challenges, including medicine and staff shortages.
It is also unclear as to the public's awareness of community pharmacy services. While the public is generally aware that pharmacy can advise on minor health issues, awareness of its role for other routine health checks is low.
Considering this, Healthwatch England conducted national research in November 2023, ahead of the launch of Pharmacy First in January 2024, to assess the public’s attitude toward pharmacy services.
Findings from this research indicate that there are positive signs for Pharmacy First to succeed with a large section of the population being open to the idea of going to a pharmacy instead of their GP for several common conditions.
However, their research also highlights key challenges that need to be addressed, including building service user awareness and confidence in pharmacy services, addressing prescription cost barriers, and addressing medication and staff shortages.
Findings from the report are based on a nationally representative poll of 1,650 adults in England, conducted by Yonder Data Solutions from November 20 to November 26, 2023, and interviews undertaken by 12 local Healthwatch.
Healthwatch Greenwich was among the 12 local Healthwatch commissioned to carry out this research and contributed by conducting semi-structured interviews with two pharmacy users and a member of staff from a local pharmacy.
Read the full report: Pharmacy: What People Want
