Evaluation
With the potential to save up to 10 million appointments each year, the Pharmacy First service is being assessed by various organisations.5,6,7
Healthwatch (https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/), the organisation established to give people a voice about their health and social care systems at a national and local level, has published reports on public feedback about Pharmacy First. Among its recommendations are that more publicity of the service would be beneficial, and that awareness raising may need to be targeted to reach certain sectors of the community.8
A Healthwatch Derbyshire survey collected views on Pharmacy First between July and October 2024, identifying a potential to increase patient uptake by better publicising the scheme. Among the 220 respondents, 55% had heard of the service, but “when people were given information explaining what Pharmacy First was, 66% of people who completed the survey said they would think about using Pharmacy First in the future.”7
The report suggested: “Providing easy to understand information on the conditions that are covered by the service could help.” In addition: “It may be important to highlight the benefits of Pharmacy First to … residents and the wider healthcare system. This could ensure more people get the right care at the right time.”
Targeting specific sectors of the population to increase awareness may also be beneficial. In the case of Derbyshire this included particularly:
- · people from a black and minority ethnic background;
- · people under 25 years old;
- · men;
- · parents with dependent children (under 18).