Since 31 January 2024, almost all Community Pharmacies in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire have been offering the Pharmacy First service. This service includes the NHS Community Pharmacy Consultation service and, if needed, NHS medicines to treat seven common health conditions:

• Urinary tract infection (water infection) in women aged 16-64 years. Information about symptoms.
• Sinusitis in those aged 12 years and over. Information about symptoms.
• Sore throat in those aged 5 years and over. Information about symptoms.
• Impetigo (a type of skin infection) in those aged over 1 year. Information about symptoms.
• Shingles in those 18 years and over. Information about symptoms.
• Ear ache in children 1 -17 years (note: cannot be provided by distance selling pharmacies). Information about symptoms.
• Infected Insect bite in those aged over 1 year. Information about symptoms.

If you have symptoms that suggest any of these conditions your GP practice may refer you to this service, or you can walk into your local pharmacy and ask how they can help you.

Two community pharmacies in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire are part of the national Independent Prescriber pathfinder scheme, which means they can prescribe NHS medicines for additional acute minor illness on the day, covering a wide range of conditions.

This is in addition to the seven common conditions that more than 200 pharmacies in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire can prescribe for through Pharmacy First.

The participating pharmacies are:

• Evans Pharmacy East Leake, 12-14 Gotham Lane, East Leake, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 6JG. Tel: 01509 852 810
• Brinsley Pharmacy, 1 Brynsmoor Road, Brinsley, Nottingham NG16 5DD. Tel: 01773 714 150

You are advised to phone ahead to check on which conditions can be treated at the pharmacy and pharmacist availability.

The NHS community pharmacist consultation service can help you get a same day appointment with your community pharmacist for minor illness following referral from the GP surgery, urgent care centre or NHS 1111, or an emergency supply of a regular medicine following a referral from NHS 111.

Find out more about the community pharmacy consultation service

Find out how to get an emergency supply of medication from a community pharmacy

This is offered by all community pharmacies. The hospital can refer you to the community pharmacy to help with any changes in medication and to improve your understanding of your medicines are and how to take them following discharge from hospital.

This service gives advice about specified medicines prescribed by the GP surgery and includes medicines for osteoporosis. This helps you understand what the medicine is for, how to take it and how to manage any concerns you may have about your medicine.

Find out more about the new medicine service

You can start oral contraception or get a repeat supply of oral contraception without the need to visit a GP.

The contraception search tool is now available. Find a pharmacy that offers the contraceptive pill without a prescription – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

A PPC could save you money if you pay for your NHS prescriptions. 

The certificate covers all your NHS prescriptions for a set price. You will save money if you need more than 3 items in 3 months, or 11 items in 12 months.

Find out more on Prescription Prepayment Certificates.

A pharmacist can check your blood pressure for free if you:

• are aged 40 or over
• live in England
• are not already diagnosed with high blood pressure unless referred to the service by your GP.

Find participating pharmacies

Many community pharmacies offer flu and Covid-19 vaccination for eligible patients.

Find out more about the Covid-19 and flu vaccination

Find a pharmacy that offers the NHS flu vaccine – NHS – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Find a walk-in COVID-19 vaccination site – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Eligible people can obtain a free box of five lateral flow device (LFD) tests from some pharmacies.

Find out which pharmacies offer free COVID-19 rapid lateral flow tests to eligible people.

Find out who can get a free COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test.

A positive LFD result may help determine whether you are referred to a Covid-19 treatment service.

You can also check which treatments and other services are provided by individual pharmacies at Find a pharmacy – NHS.

Some medicines may not be available due to problems with manufacturing, transport, high demand or issues sourcing the ingredients. There are a few things you can do to help:

• Order medicines in good time, but no more than seven days before the due date.
• Only order medicines that you need. Check in your cupboard for any unused medicines first but remember to check the expiry date.
• If you can’t get you medication from your nominated pharmacy, try other pharmacies: Find your nearest pharmacy

Find out more about managing your medication and how to get an emergency supply of medication.

If you are unable to source your medicine after trying other pharmacies please speak to your community pharmacist, GP or other prescriber for advice. It is important that you do ask for advice as to next steps as missing some medicines can cause harm and your prescriber may need to consider an alternative. We understand that it may be frustrating if there is a shortage of your medication but please remember to be kind to GP and pharmacy staff.

Regulation Changes

Changes have been made to the Human Medicines Regulations which mean that from 1^st January 2025 for NHS prescriptions the Community Pharmacist will consider dispensing an original pack rather than the exact amount on your prescription. This can be up to 10% more or less to allow original pack dispensing.

If the quantity is less than the amount written on the prescription you can still ask for the amount on the prescription rather than an original pack if you wish.

If the quantity has been changed to allow an original pack, payment to the pharmacy will be based on the amount given to the you rather than the amount on the prescription.

There are times when it may not be appropriate to receive an original pack for example if the medicine is a prescribed course such as antibiotics or there is a shortage of the medicine.

There are also some medicines which are not included in these changes such as:

• Controlled drugs schedules 1-4 for example some strong painkillers or medicines for ADHD
• Some appliances
• Special order medicines
• Products classified as special containers for example a special container to protect the medicine from being affected by moisture
• When a serious shortage protocol applies to the medicine which can happen with some national shortages

Many items are already prescribed in original packs so will not be impacted.

Some pharmacy computer systems are still preparing for these changes so your pharmacy may not yet be ready to make these changes.

Why is this change happening?

These changes are expected to transform the supply and delivery of medicines for example by enabling the use of robots for dispensing.