How this service works

When you call the practice or submit an online request for medical advice via the website, your symptoms will be checked by our team to see if this service is suitable for you. If so, you will be offered a same day or next day telephone consultation with a clinical pharmacist who is trained to assess and treat patients with a range of health conditions, including many long term conditions such as Asthma and Diabetes and well as common minor illnesses.

What happens when I see the clinical pharmacist?

The clinical pharmacist will then contact you within an hour of your allotted appointment time. They will have full access to your medical records so they can assess and treat you appropriately and safely.

Usually, the pharmacist will provide you with advice and may advise on an over-the-counter product where needed if you choose or prescribe you something if necessary in the same way your GP would do.

If, however the clinical pharmacist feels you need to be seen by a GP, they will contact us to ensure you are seen on the same day, if the matter is considered urgent. Or you may be referred back to us to arrange a non-urgent appointment or follow up.

What if I get free prescriptions from my GP?

Your pharmacist will provide you with advice on how to treat your symptoms, which may include a medicine or other product. If you are eligible for free prescriptions and you are advised to use a medicine this can be provided on prescription.

What happens if I don’t want to see the pharmacist?

Clinical pharmacists have performed thousands of consultations for patients calling NHS 111 successfully. 78% of patients who had a consultation with a clinical pharmacist felt they had been helped, which is why this service has been created so more patients can access the advice and help pharmacists can offer patients in their community.

We appreciate this is a new way of arranging consultations via your GP practice. However by GP practices and community pharmacies working more closely together, we can use the skills and resources of all the different health professionals across our local communities to ensure that every patient gets the right care as quickly possible.

If you have minor illness symptoms that could be assessed and treated the same day via a consultation with a qualified community based clinical pharmacist, but you decide to decline the offer, we will offer you an appointment with a GP or another health professional as soon as possible based on availability.

What if the patient is my child?

Children aged over one years may be appropriately assessed depending on the issue by a clinical pharmacist.

Why is this a good thing for patients?

Community pharmacies are local, often open longer hours than the GP practice and can offer you the same consultation outcome at a time that is often more convenient for you. If the pharmacist thinks you need to see the GP, they can help arrange an urgent appointment for you.