Please watch our Pharmacy First video developed by NHS Lothian
1) "Pharmacy First" and "The Changing World of Pharmacy First" presentations - also stored below in 'Toolkit' section
2) Pharmacy First Approved List on the National Services Scotland website
3) Fact Sheet - 'Are you getting shortchanged' - also stored below in 'Fact Sheet' section
TURAS has a wealth of Pharmacy First training resources too.
Please click here for the information that has been sent to GP practices about the Pharmacy First service. This document includes reference to GP signposting guidance which has been sent out to practices to help them triage patients before directing them to community pharmacies. You may find this guide useful to highlight when you should also be referring patients to GP surgeries.
Patient information leaflets in several languages are now available on the Scottish Government website to help patients learn more about this service: https://www.gov.scot/publications/nhs-pharmacy-first-scotland-information-patients/documents/
The Pharmacy First service also currently includes 9 PGDs for the treatment of impetigo, uncomplicated UTI, skin infections, shingles and hayfever. See details below for the current PGDs and related documents:
Impetigo
PGD for Fusidic Acid 2% Cream (review date August 2024)
Impetigo patient assessment form (review date August 2024)
Uncomplicated UTI
PGD for Nitrofurantoin (please note that this is second line treatment in NHS Lothian)
Skin Infection
Skin infection patient assessment form
Shingles
Shingles patient assessment form
Hayfever
Hayfever patient assessment & GP notification form
The Scottish Government has released an updated circular - PCA(O)(2023)05 & PCA(P)(2023)45 - which provides updated guidance aimed at both community optometry and community pharmacy teams, and an updated Patient Referral Form for the assessment and treatment of minor eye conditions on the NHS Pharmacy First Scotland service.
These documents can also be accessed via the NHS Scotland's website for eye care professionals:
NHS Pharmacy First Scotland (eyes.scot)
We have put together a 'toolkit' to help community pharmacies record and get recognition for all the relevant Advice only, Referral and Treatment interactions that happen every day:
Patient Consultation Forms can be used to record the details required to put your consultations through UCF.
Pharmacy First - Daily Numbers Tracker can be used by the pharmacy team to record a tally/number of interactions every day to show trends.
Pharmacy First - Monthly Numbers Tracker can be used by the pharmacy team to record the total number of interactions month by month across the year to show trends.
Pharmacy First Questionnaire can be used by the pharmacy team to help analyze and improve processes and highlight any training needs.
Patient Referral Form - you should ideally be using the SBAR facility within the PCR system to record details of any Pharmacy First consultation with a patient which ends in referral. If you unable to use it for technical reasons, however, you can print off and use a general patient referral form here.
"Pharmacy First" presentation (updated October 2023) gives an overview of the Pharmacy First service and helpful tips, and can be used to train new pharmacy staff.
GP Teams Signposting guidance - for the latest signposting guidance that GP Teams should be following when triaging patients to decide whether appropriate to refer to pharmacies, please see the GP Practice Guidance document here on the NSS website.
Need to order more Pharmacy First booklets for patients or Pharmacy First posters? Use this list to see what's available, and email your request to the APS Group (who produce promotional information on behalf of the NHS) at: stockorders.DPPAS@theapsgroup.com
To help pharmacy teams train new staff members and refresh existing staff members' knowledge, we have produced the quick reference one page Fact Sheets on common ailments treatable via Pharmacy First - see below for copies. Please note that the product recommendations from the Pharmacy First Approved List mentioned in these Fact Sheets may have been updated since then - always check the latest version of the Approved List on the NSS website here.
Pharmacy First 'A-Z' Factsheets:
Fact Sheet 1: A & B + Fun Pharmacy Fact
Fact Sheet 2: C & D + Fun Pharmacy Fact
Fact Sheet 3: E & F + Fun Pharmacy Fact
Fact Sheet 4: G & H + Fun Pharmacy Fact
Fact Sheet 5: I & J + Fun Pharmacy Fact
Fact Sheet 6: K & L + Fun Pharmacy Fact
Fact Sheet 7: M & N + Fun Pharmacy Fact
Fact Sheet 8: O & P + Fun Pharmacy Fact
Fact Sheet 9: Q & R + Fun Pharmacy Fact
Seasonal Ailment - Winter - Constipation
Seasonal Ailment - Winter - Diarrhoea
Seasonal Ailment - Spring - Hayfever
Seasonal Ailment - Spring - Travel Sickness
Seasonal Ailment - Spring - Musculoskeletal Pain
Seasonal Ailment - Summer - Heat Rash
Pharmacy First Fact Sheet 1 - What is a Consultation?
Pharmacy First Fact Sheet 2 - Are You Getting Shortchanged?
Pharmacy First Fact Sheet 3 - Confused About Pharmacy First Exclusion Criteria?
Pharmacy First Fact Sheet 4 - Are Your Locums Up-To-Speed with Pharmacy First?
Pharmacy First Fact Sheet 5 - Are You Prescribing Disallowed Items?
Pharmacy First Fact Sheet - Dry Skin
Pharmacy First Fact Sheet - Acne
Pharmacy First Fact Sheet - Cuts and Falls
Pharmacy First Fact Sheet - Nappy Rash
Pharmacy First Fact Sheet - Headlice
Pharmacy First Fact Sheet - Contact Dermatitis
Pharmacy First Fact Sheet - Athlete's Foot
Pharmacy First Fact Sheet - Thrush
Pharmacy First Fact Sheet - Warts
Pharmacy First Fact Sheet - Hayfever
Seasonal Ailment - Autumn - Cuts
Seasonal Ailment - Autumn - Headlice
Seasonal Ailment - Winter - Indigestion
More information on NHS Pharmacy First Scotland can also be found on the Community Pharmacy Scotland Pharmacy First Hub.
All Pharmacy First training materials on TURAS can be found here.