Monday 12th January is National Pharmacists Day, so we’re saying thank you to all our pharmacists for their expertise, care and dedication. They play a vital role supporting the health of our communities.
Every day, pharmacists offer expert advice, clinical care and a friendly first point of contact for people with health concerns. They can provide a wide range of help for things like stopping smoking, blood pressure, weight management, contraception and medicines.
Pharmacy First
Through the Pharmacy First scheme, your local pharmacy team can give you advice on a range of conditions. They can suggest medicines that can help. They may also be able to offer treatment and prescription medicine for some conditions without the need for a GP appointment. You don’t have to pay for the consultation as Pharmacy First is funded by the NHS.
Greater Manchester leads the country in delivering Pharmacy First. The scheme offers walk-in support for common conditions like earache, infected insect bites, shingles, sore throats, sinusitis and urinary tract infections in eligible patients. With 96% of GM community pharmacists signed up to Pharmacy First, the service is delivering more than 25,000 consultations a month. This is much higher than national targets – easing pressure off GP services and helping patients be seen faster.
To find out more about the scheme, visit our Pharmacy First webpage.
Our pharmacy teams are constantly adapting to support patients in every way they can. They are a vital part of our primary care health system, which is the foundation of community health.
We are so proud of our pharmacy teams and the fantastic work they do. Thank you to all pharmacists across Greater Manchester.
