Unscheduled Care

Service specification (what it is, how it works)

The term “unscheduled care” in the pharmacy sector refers to NHS care that cannot reasonably be foreseen or planned in advance of contact with a healthcare professional. It usually involves urgent situations where patients need help outside normal scheduled appointments or core working hours. This demand can occur at any time, so services must be available 24/7.

In the community pharmacy context, unscheduled care includes services that allow pharmacists to support patients who need immediate assistance, such as:

• Urgent supply of repeat medicines and appliances under a Patient Group Direction (PGD) when a prescription is not practicable.
• Direct referral to Out of Hours (OOH) services if a patient needs to see a doctor or nurse urgently.
• NHS Pharmacy First Scotland and Minor Ailment Service, which enable pharmacists to treat minor illnesses without a GP appointment.

Pharmacies have become an important access point for unscheduled care, especially during weekends and public holidays, helping reduce pressure on GP surgeries and A\&E departments. [communityp…cot.nhs.uk], [cps.scot]

Resources

Here are some excellent resources for unscheduled care in the pharmacy sector (Scotland):

Official Guidance & Frameworks

1. Community Pharmacy Scotland – Unscheduled Care (CPUS)
   Covers the definition, service developments, and details on Patient Group Directions (PGDs) for urgent supply of repeat medicines and appliances.
   Visit Community Pharmacy Scotland [cps.scot]
2. NHS Scotland – Community Pharmacy Unscheduled Care Hub
   Includes PGD guidance, referral templates, FAQs, and updates for pharmacists.
   Access the NHS Pharmacy Hub [communityp…cot.nhs.uk]
3. National Unscheduled Care Programme (NHS Scotland)
   Focuses on improving delivery of safe, timely, and effective unscheduled care across Scotland.
   Read more here [nhscfsd.co.uk]
4. National Services Scotland – Guidance on Unscheduled Care
   Provides pharmacy-specific guidance and links to PGDs and out-of-hours processes.
   View guidance [nss.nhs.scot]

Useful documents (claim forms etc)

There are several official documents and templates available for pharmacists involved in unscheduled care in Scotland. These are hosted on the NHS Scotland and Community Pharmacy Scotland portals:

 Key Documents

1. Unscheduled Care Pharmacy Guide
   • Comprehensive overview of processes, responsibilities, and service updates.
   • Latest version:
     Access here [communityp…cot.nhs.uk]
2. Emergency Care Summary Guidance
   • How to access and use ECS for urgent supply decisions.
3. Direct Referral to Out-of-Hours Services
   • Guide and Referral Form Template (v8) for sending patients to OOH care.
     Available in the same hub [communityp…cot.nhs.uk]
4. Patient Group Direction (PGD) for Urgent Supply
   • PGD for medicines, appliances, and ACBS products.
   • Includes Medicines A–Z Look-up List, Authorisation Form, and PGD Guidance for Pharmacists.
     Download from NHS Pharmacy Hub [communityp…cot.nhs.uk]
5. Frequently Asked Questions (v16)

Clarifies scenarios, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and practical use of PGD.