Millions miss out on NHS care in pharmacies

A month after the launch of a new NHS medicines advice service in pharmacies across England, a survey indicates that millions of people may be missing out on free NHS support on their doorstep.

The National Pharmacy Association survey of 1200 UK adults for Ask Your Pharmacist Week (7-13 November) finds:

• Only 8% of people know that the vast majority of pharmacies have consultation rooms from which numerous NHS health and wellbeing services are delivered. (Almost 9 in 10 pharmacies have NHS-accredited consultation areas)

• 80% of people do not know that the New Medicine Service is an NHS service. (The NMS was launched in October. The service is aimed at helping people who have been newly prescribed a medicine to thin their blood, for diabetes, asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or high blood pressure. Lots of people find they have problems when they start a new medicine. The NMS helps to sort these problems out from day one with the help of a pharmacist, so you stay well.

• 72% of people do not know that Medicines Use Reviews are available free on the NHS in pharmacies. MURs have been offered since 2005 and offer people taking two or more prescribed medicines for a long term condition a personal NHS consultation with a pharmacist to help improve their understanding of their medicines to get the maximum benefit from them.

The National Pharmacy Association is launching a new website during Ask Your Pharmacist Week www.askyourpharmacist.co.uk to raise people’s awareness of what services are available at their community pharmacy.

National Pharmacy Association Chief Executive, Mike Holden, said:

“Pharmacies are on the NHS frontline, but too many people are oblivious to the free, NHS support they can get there. Pharmacies offer a package of care, not just packets of pills. The launch of a major new NHS service - the New Medicine Service – should go some way to shifting public understanding of what pharmacy offers”.

Pharmacists are available without appointment and are a good first port of call for the vast majority of health concerns.”

For further information, please contact the NPA Press Office on 01727 795901 / s.white@npa.co.uk

Britain’s 12,000 community pharmacies are visited by members of the public 2 million times a day, and nine in ten of us visit a pharmacy at least once a year.

96% of the population can get to a pharmacy within 20 minutes by walking or using public transport.  Deprived areas, where the public health challenge is pronounced, have a higher than average number of community pharmacies per head of population.

The NPA is the UK’s leading trade body for community pharmacy.  Its core purpose is to represent, support and protect the interests of all community pharmacy across the UK.