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Pharmacy First will only succeed if pharmacists are empowered to act, says Karen O'Brien, director and superintendent pharmacist at Mayfield Pharmacy

Pharmacy First was introduced to improve patient access to care and reduce pressure on GP services. 

For it to succeed, pharmacists need to be supported and trusted to make appropriate clinical decisions, rather than simply acting as a referral point back into general practice.

At Mayfield Pharmacy, we carry out detailed clinical assessments every day, including checking blood pressure, oxygen saturation, pulse, temperature and taking a full medical history.

This is structured, patient-centred care that requires good listening, strong consultation skills, and the time to gather all the important information. With that, we can make safe and effective decisions, referring patients back to GPs only when it is really needed.

Confidence plays a central role in effective delivery. Pharmacists are routinely making assessments using observations, medical history and presenting symptoms. In most cases, this is enough to support appropriate decision-making within the service.

Where clear clinical information is available, pharmacists should be supported to act, with onward referral reserved for cases where additional clinical input is genuinely required.

This helps ensure Pharmacy First operates effectively, reducing unnecessary pressure on general practice and enabling pharmacies to realise their full potential in delivering clinical services within community settings.

Confidence grows with experience, but it also depends on the strength of the wider pharmacy team.

At Mayfield Pharmacy, our team delivers accurate, supportive admin across all relevant paperwork, alongside upskilled vaccinators, weight management experts, and staff comprehensively trained to take observations, including blood pressure.

Investing in and trusting team members builds the capacity and capability needed to deliver more care in the community.

Pharmacy First has real potential to transform how patients access care, particularly where GP services are under pressure. Community pharmacy is already providing accessible, face-to-face care every day.

The next step is ensuring pharmacists are supported, trained and empowered to act so the service can deliver its full potential.

If implemented effectively, Pharmacy First will ease pressure on general practice and unlock the full clinical value of community pharmacy within the NHS.