1 week Ago
I’m not in one of the groups who are prioritised for vaccinations, but I consider the £21.95 to be excellent value to minimise my chance of getting a nasty dose of flu this year. If you are over 65 you are automatically eligible for a free jab on the NHS.
If you are younger but have an underlying health condition, the NHS will have written to you to confirm your status for both flu and Covid jabs. We’ll soon be hitting peak flu season and the vaccination will need 10/14 days to take effect – so now is the best possible time to come forward and get yourself protected. I met the local leadership team on my visit to the store and we had a good conversation about the changing role pharmacies play in our wider public health system.
Earlier this year, the Pharmacy First programme went live. This gives community pharmacists the authority to supply prescription-only medicines, including antibiotics and antivirals where clinically appropriate, to treat seven common health conditions without the need to visit a GP. The idea is simple: entrust pharmacists with the power to supply certain medicines for conditions like sinusitis and a sore throat, so patients can access speedy support and GPs are freed up to take on more complex cases.
I think it’s the right approach, but what was striking from my conversation with colleagues at Boots is how low public awareness is about the scheme. I’m dedicating this column to help spread the word. Ninety five percent of pharmacies are signed up, so if you pop into Boots, Lloyds or a smaller community pharmacy, it’s overwhelmingly likely they will be participating.
In the recent Budget, the government committed an extra £22.6billion to our NHS, but rightly said that investment must be matched by reform. One of the big shifts we need to realise is treating fewer people in hospital and more in the community.
It’s programmes like Pharmacy First that will help make that vision a reality. For full details of the seven common health conditions that pharmacists can treat without seeing a GP, visit NHS England and search 'Pharmacy First'..
