For a student feeling unwell in an unfamiliar city, knowing where to turn can be surprisingly difficult. The family medicine cupboard is miles away, a parent cannot pop their head around the bedroom door and registering with a local GP may still be on the to-do list. Typing into Google is easy; walking into a pharmacy and asking for help can feel more daunting.
With university health scares in the headlines, this National Pharmacy Week is an opportunity to consider how we make that step easier. Community pharmacists have an important role in helping young people navigate illness away from home, while easing avoidable pressure on GPs and walk-in services.
Understanding what community pharmacies offer
But first, students need to understand what community pharmacies offer and feel comfortable using it. Findings from research among 1,000 students aged 18-24, commissioned for Chlora’s Talk Before You Type campaign, reveal a significant awareness gap between what students think pharmacists can support with and what we actually offer.
Fewer than half think pharmacists can treat an infected bite or sore throat. Only 35% know pharmacists can provide emergency contraception, while four in five do not think we can treat a urinary tract infection. These are practical gaps in knowledge that could affect where someone seeks help, how long they wait and whether they seek advice at all.
In England, Pharmacy First enables participating pharmacies to assess and treat eligible patients for conditions including sore throats, infected insect bites and uncomplicated UTIs in women aged 16-64, following defined clinical pathways. Emergency contraceptive pills are also available through pharmacies. Yet expanding access only achieves so much if the people who could benefit do not know it exists. If you don’t know, you won’t go.
The research also reveals a striking contradiction, with Google the source students are most likely to consult when unwell, although only 10% trust it completely for healthcare advice.
Engaging with young people
So how can we engage with young people to ensure pharmacists are their first port of call for managing their health on their own for the first time? There are three key things to consider:
- A specific, visible offer
- A welcoming environment
- Early links with students
Our offer must be specific, relevant and visible to a student audience
“Ask your pharmacist” is familiar language to us, but a young person may still wonder whether their concern is serious enough, too embarrassing or simply outside our remit. Clear examples of the conditions we can assess, the advice we provide and when we refer can make the invitation more meaningful.
Visibility is also key, with initiatives such as Talk Before You Type providing pharmacy teams with a simple conversation starter. Displaying the new campaign sticker in pharmacy windows offers an opening to explain that they can speak to a pharmacist before trying to interpret another page of search results. Its value comes from the conversation it prompts.
Provide an understanding and welcoming environment
A young person asking about emergency contraception or urinary symptoms may be anxious about being overheard or judged. Offering a private conversation early, explaining confidentiality and its safeguarding limits, and using straightforward language can help them feel able to speak honestly.
If someone has searched their symptoms online, asking “what have you read, and what are you worried about?” gives a useful starting point. Dismissing their search risks shutting down the discussion before we understand why they came in.
Reach students before they become ill.
Building links with university wellbeing teams, students’ unions and accommodation providers could help make local pharmacy information part of everyday student life. A clear explanation of nearby services, opening hours and how to access advice is more useful than assuming students will find us when they need us.
Becoming a first port of call also means recognising when someone needs care elsewhere. Explaining what to watch for, when to seek further help and why a referral matters is part of building trust. Nobody should leave believing every illness can be managed in a pharmacy, or that every consultation should end with a medicine.
Small steps can have a big impact
I know as much as anyone that community pharmacy teams are already working under considerable pressure. Engaging students does not have to mean a large new initiative - instead, a visible invitation, a welcoming question and a clear explanation can make a huge difference. For a young person learning to manage their own health, that first helpful conversation could shape where they turn next time. This National Pharmacy Week, let us make it easier for them to start one.
Melissa Dadgar is Senior Clinical PCN Pharmacist at Hammersmith & Fulham Primary Care Network and locum community pharmacist.