Awareness of Pharmacy First “remains the biggest barrier” to wider use of the service, a report has found.
According to a Healthwatch Kirklees and Calderdale survey of 228 residents, published last month, 44% of respondents had never heard of Pharmacy First.
Around a fifth of those surveyed had heard of the service but were unsure what it involved or which conditions pharmacists could treat, while 35% had heard of the service and knew what it was.
Read more: Pharmacy’s capacity has been ‘exceeded’, warns PDA
The report revealed that younger people were less likely to be aware of Pharmacy First, with 93% of those aged 16 to 24 saying they had not heard of it.
Awareness levels also varied by gender; 59% of men did not know what Pharmacy First is, compared with 37% of women.
And the survey showed that while 40% of women had used Pharmacy First, just 18% of men had.
Read more: NHS spent £2m on latest Pharmacy First campaign, govt reveals
But Healthwatch found that even among those who knew of the service, awareness could still be improved.
Of the respondents who had heard of Pharmacy First, almost three quarters did not know it was also available through online providers.
“This shows there is a clear need to improve communication and public understanding of how the service works,” the report said.
Patient concerns
Alongside awareness, privacy at the pharmacy was another concern raised in the survey, Healthwatch said.
It added that some respondents “felt uncomfortable discussing personal health issues at the pharmacy counter where other customers may overhear”.
And others were confused about whether Pharmacy First consultations or medicines would cost money.
Read more: Revealed: Who delivered the most Pharmacy First consultations?
“A small number of participants believed that they might need to pay for treatment or prescriptions when using the service, particularly if they were referred by their GP,” the report noted.
But it added that most people were generally happy with the advice they received from their pharmacist, and 78% of those who had used Pharmacy First would recommend it to others.
Healthwatch said Pharmacy First “has the potential to reduce pressure on GP appointments and urgent care services” - but this will “depend on improving awareness, strengthening referral pathways and ensuring the service is accessible to all communities”.
Read more: Expand Pharmacy First conditions, says health watchdog
It comes after the Pharmacists’ Defence Association said pharmacy’s workforce capacity must increase to support the growing prescription volume and number of services on offer since the introduction of Pharmacy First.
And it follows the government revealing that NHS England spent more than £2m on the most recent Pharmacy First awareness campaign.
