Skip to content Skip to main menu Skip to utility menu

NHS Pharmacy First: Info for Educational Settings

January 14, 2025

The NHS community pharmacy team is seeking your support once again to raise awareness of a different community pharmacy service to support children, families and staff:

Pharmacy First can support families over winter with minor illnesses and seven common conditions. If appropriate, they can also provide treatment* without a prescription for seven common conditions and could be quicker than seeing a GP. Community pharmacies are ideally placed to offer a more accessible and convenient choice to access healthcare services. This service takes away the potential delay of having to wait for a GP appointment and may help ensure children and staff get well and back to nursery/school/college as quickly as possible, potentially positively impacting attendance rates.

Please could you include the short update below and the attached template letter in your weekly bulletin:

Please could you share the message below with Parents/Carers

NHS Pharmacy First Service

If you, your child, or a family member is feeling poorly, think Pharmacy First! Community Pharmacists offer free and confidential advice for minor illnesses such as coughs, colds, and eye infection. If appropriate, they can also provide treatment* without a prescription for seven common conditions:

  • Urinary tract infection (women aged 16-64)
  • Sinusitis (adults and children aged 12+)
  • Sore throat (adults and children aged 5+)
  • Earache (children and young adults aged 1-17)
  • Infected insect bite (adults and children aged 1+)
  • Impetigo (adults and children aged 1+)
  • Shingles (adults aged 18+)

Think Pharmacy First for expert advice that could be quicker than seeing your GP. This service takes away the potential delay of having to wait for a GP appointment and may help ensure children get well and back to school as quickly as possible, as well as supporting parents/carers to also get better sooner if they are unwell.

Patients that are already exempt from prescription charges, such as children, will still be exempt from charges if treatment is provided for the listed conditions, otherwise usual prescription charges will apply. For more information on how your Community Pharmacist can help, visit Think pharmacy first :: NHS Birmingham and Solihull or watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQUl_ZOqFZg

Letter: BSOL Pharmacy First Template Letter from setting to Parents

Poster: PARENTS Pharmacy First

Please could you share the message below with Staff

NHS Pharmacy First Service

If you, your child, or a family member is feeling poorly, think Pharmacy First! Community Pharmacists offer free and confidential advice for minor illnesses such as coughs, colds, and eye infection. If appropriate, they can also provide treatment* without a prescription for seven common conditions:

  • Urinary tract infection (women aged 16-64)
  • Sinusitis (adults and children aged 12+)
  • Sore throat (adults and children aged 5+)
  • Earache (children and young adults aged 1-17)
  • Infected insect bite (adults and children aged 1+)
  • Impetigo (adults and children aged 1+)
  • Shingles (adults aged 18+)

Think Pharmacy First for expert advice that could be quicker than seeing your GP. This service takes away the potential delay of having to wait for a GP appointment and may help you to get better sooner if they are unwell.

Patients that are already exempt from prescription charges, such as children, will still be exempt from charges if treatment is provided for the listed conditions, otherwise usual prescription charges will apply. For more information on how your Community Pharmacist can help, visit Think pharmacy first :: NHS Birmingham and Solihull or watch https://youtu.be/z2qdt1gVCCc

Poster: GENERAL Pharmacy First