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Pharmacy First

The Pharmacy First scheme provides professional health care advice, treatments, and medicines for common illnesses from your local pharmacy, without the need for an appointment.

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Cegedim appoint ex-Lindsay & Gilmour Pharmacy superintendent as MD

Cegedim Rx has appointed Phil Galt, who was also at the National Pharmacy Association as a director.

05 Apr 2024

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Mixed blessings with Pharmacy First

Promising figures from the service launch period won't assuage long-term sustainability worries

03 Apr 2024

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Rowlands MD: Pharmacy First will only continue if contract funding improves

On Pharmacy First and the pharmacy contract, Rowlands Pharmacy MD Nigel Swift warned the government that "one depends upon the other."

25 Mar 2024

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CCA: Pharmacy First has had ‘strongest start’ of any national service

Multiples delivered 1,500 consultations a day collectively in the first month of the service.

19 Mar 2024

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PharmOutcomes parent company pledges to help pharmacists locked out of platform

Pharmacists took to social media to express their concern about the apparent lack of communication from EMIS.

18 Mar 2024

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Pharmacy First is good but pharmacies ‘on their knees’, says Lib Dem MP

Richard Foord told parliament that although the launch of Pharmacy First “is good in theory,” pharmacies “are on their knees".

18 Mar 2024

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Ex-home secretary urges government to ‘grow’ Pharmacy First

Priti Patel told parliament this week the service is giving pharmacies “new business activities that importantly keep their footfall going."

15 Mar 2024

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Numark chairman: Why has NHSE failed to sanction DSPs that break regulations?

Harry McQuillan said distance-selling pharmacies have become “a controversial issue” because Pharmacy First allows remote consultations.

04 Mar 2024

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No money left in dispensing

If the biggest dispenser in the UK can't earn enough margin, who can?

29 Feb 2024

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Sigma conference: Inquiry is considering generic substitution to solve shortages

Steve Brine said his committee may recommend allowing pharmacists to provide another version of a medicine that is unavailable on prescription.

26 Feb 2024

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Pharmacy First campaign materials now available

NHSE has launched its ‘Think pharmacy first' campaign. Posters and other assets are available.

22 Feb 2024

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CPE: GPs’ criticism of Pharmacy First is “disappointing”

Community Pharmacy England said “isolated incidents” must be “handled locally without fuelling further media coverage.”

21 Feb 2024

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CCA: Most members provided at least one Pharmacy First consultation in opening week

The CCA said data was collected following "a blackbox exercise with members via PharmOutcomes."

20 Feb 2024

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CCA: Pharmacy First feedback has been ‘positive’ despite GPs’ grumbles

CCA chief Malcolm Harrison was reacting to a story in Pulse last week that “a number of GPs” had aired concerns.

19 Feb 2024

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