Concerns that GPs may have been unwilling to direct patients to community pharmacies, even under Pharmacy First, have been raised in Parliament.

For the Pharmacy First service to maximise the benefits to patients and health service providers, CPE has stated that “it is important that there is a strong relationship between community pharmacies and local general practices” and this needs to be a “sustained effort”.^4,11

CPE has a range of resources for use by pharmacies and LPCs to strengthen GP engagement. In addition to the local pharmaceutical committee (LPC) liaising with doctors and NHS managers locally to raise awareness, CPE’s Pharmacy First Check List suggests actions for community pharmacies to communicate with local practices. Ideas include:⁴

• ·       discuss with other pharmacies who dispense for patients from a particular practice about raising awareness together (rather than as individual pharmacies) with the GP practice team;

• ·       use the CPE email template to reiterate the potential value and benefits to the surgery of Pharmacy First;

• ·       ask if it would be possible to attend a practice and/or a patient participation group meeting to discuss Pharmacy First;

• ·       ask if the practice would like to display the Pharmacy First posters, or to use the videos and digital screen options;

• ·       ask if the practice could use its social media, website or newsletter to promote Pharmacy First;

• ·       invite members of the GP team to the pharmacy to talk them through how the Pharmacy First service works, show them the consultation room, and demonstrate the IT system used for Pharmacy First consultations.

Materials for use in meetings include PowerPoint presentations designed for GPs and practice staff, and separate ones for patients and local medical committees (LMCs). If meeting with GPs, the ‘Pharmacy First: What GPs need to know infographic’ has eight key points to shape the discussion.^4,5

Integrated care boards (ICBs) can also help promote awareness and ensure the IT systems optimise the GP referral process.