NHS England (NHSE) spent more than £2m on the most recent Pharmacy First awareness campaign, the government has revealed.
Responding to a parliamentary question from Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney on April 13, pharmacy minister Stephen Kinnock said the Pharmacy First advertising campaign has “now run on several occasions”.
Read more: Pharmacy First adverts saw small uptick in public ‘intention to use’
A campaign “rerun” between October 2025 and January 2026 encouraged people to “seek treatment for seven common conditions at their local pharmacy”, Kinnock added, and “used a wide range of media channels” including television, radio, outdoor advertising and social media.
“In 2025/26, NHS England spent £2.017 million on the Pharmacy First advertising campaign,” he said.
Read more: Asda launches campaign to raise Pharmacy First awareness
It comes after Kinnock confirmed that a Pharmacy First campaign run from November to December 2024 saw the public’s “intention to use” the service rise from 32% to 37%.
He added that the public’s “knowledge that pharmacies can treat Pharmacy First conditions” increased from 71% to 79% following the campaign, while “trust in the advice given by the pharmacy team” rose from 61% to 70%.
