Community pharmacist consultation service
Did you know that we offer same day appointments with your community pharmacist for the treatment of minor illnesses and conditions? Find out more below
What is the NHS Community Pharmacist Consultation Service?
The NHS Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (CPCS) offers patients same day minor illness consultations with a community pharmacist. It is an NHS England initiative providing more convenient treatment closer to patients' homes.
Lots of conditions are more appropriate for a consultation with a Community Pharmacist, rather than a GP. Our team will discuss your symptoms and, if appropriate, refer you for a same day appointment with our community pharmacist colleagues at a local community pharmacy for a personal consultation.
What does it involve?
It's a one-to-one consultation with a fully qualified clinical pharmacist (This can be face-to-face or by telephone call). It involves a clinical assessment and conversation with the pharmacist who will discuss patients clinical history.
The clinical pharmacist has the right clinical training to assess you and recommend the best treatment for some common conditions. They will provide advice and may suggest medications that can help. If symptoms suggest the concern is more serious, they will refer you back to get an urgent GP appointment if needed.
They will make a record of the outcome and send back to the GP.
How does the service work?
When patients contact the practice to request an appointment with symptoms of minor illness, our care navigation team will ask patients a series of questions. If your symptoms are appropriate, they will refer patients for a same day consultation with a community pharmacist.
There are many advantages of this service. For example, community pharmacies are often open longer hours than GP surgeries and they can offer you the same outcome at a time and place that is more convenient for you.
This service supports general practice and patients to ensure that patients are are seen by the right healthcare professional, at the right place, at the right time. This helps to keep GP appointments available for patients with more complex symptoms.