Pharmacy First

The Pharmacy First service commenced on 31st January 2024.  294 Essex pharmacies have signed up to deliver this service.

The Advanced service involves pharmacists providing advice and NHS-funded treatment, where clinically appropriate, for seven common conditions:

• sinusitis
• sore throat
• acute otitis media
• infected insect bite
• impetigo
• shingles
• uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women.

See here for Eligibility at a glance, and for the specification

Funding for the Pharmacy First service

Initial fixed payment
Pharmacy owners who signed up to provide the Pharmacy First service will receive an initial fixed payment of £2,000.  This fee will be recovered from any pharmacies who have not delivered 5 clinical pathways consultations by the end of March 2024.

Ongoing fixed payments

Pharmacies who deliver the minimum required number of consultations each month will receive a monthly fixed payment of £1,000.

The minimum consultations required are shown in the following table: Month Minimum number of clinical pathways consultations passing the gateway point