New Pharmacy First Service To Ease Winter Pressures

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has announced the launch of a new 'Pharmacy First for Sore Throat' service, which will be available in community pharmacies across Northern Ireland from 1 December 2024.

The service will offer advice, assessment, and treatment for people aged five and over who are suffering from a sore throat.

The roll-out of the service follows a successful pilot scheme, which saw over 6,700 people access treatment in 43 pharmacies between November 2023 and March 2024.

The Minister hopes that the new service will help to alleviate pressure on other healthcare services during the winter months.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said: "The 'Pharmacy First for Sore Throat' Service has been proven to offer a high-quality, efficient and effective clinical pathway for people aged five years old and over to receive assessment and necessary treatment for sore throats, helping to free up GP time for management of other complex and urgent cases.

"The 'Pharmacy First' service provides an easily accessible way for people to receive clinical care for common winter illnesses close to their homes or on our high streets without the need for a GP appointment. I have no doubt the extension of the 'Pharmacy First' service to include sore throat will be a welcome addition to the range of clinical care that people can receive in the heart of their own communities from local pharmacy teams. I would encourage the public to avail of these services to help keep well over the winter period."

Pharmacists will offer a confidential consultation in a private area of the pharmacy where they will assess their sore throat symptoms and provide management advice and treatment, if required. Anyone age five or over can attend for advice and management of a sore throat.

As part of the clinical assessment, the pharmacist may carry out a test, usually a throat swab, to help determine whether the sore throat is likely due to a bacterial or viral infection and help to decide on the best treatment, to provide if needed. Sore throats are normally caused by viral infections. Symptoms usually last around a week and will normally go away by themselves. Antibiotics are not normally needed for sore throat as they will not usually relieve symptoms or speed up recovery, however community pharmacists will provide advice and treatment where appropriate should a bacterial sore throat be diagnosed.

Pharmacists may also offer treatment to help alleviate symptoms such as pain or fever.

Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, Professor Cathy Harrison said: "As with every year, we can expect to see a rise in sore throats for the winter season. The 'Pharmacy First for Sore Throat' Service will allow people to receive advice and treatment from their local community pharmacy, without the need for a GP appointment.

All community pharmacists are qualified healthcare professionals and are uniquely placed to provide much valued and accessible clinical care in the community setting. Our health service will also benefit as these consultations will create capacity that will help to alleviate some of the pressures across the sector. I very much welcome the wider rollout of the 'Pharmacy First for Sore Throat' Service."

Gerard Greene, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI said: "Community pharmacists are increasingly playing a greater role in the delivery of clinical services, and this is to be welcomed. Through the expansion of this service, patients across Northern Ireland will benefit from being seen, assessed, and if necessary, treated close to home.

"Community pharmacies continue to be very busy, especially over the winter period, and we would ask that people accessing pharmacy services continue to be patient with staff as they deliver these much utilised services."

'Pharmacy First' services are available at most community pharmacies in Northern Ireland and provide a range of treatments for common illnesses, Urinary Tract Infection, emergency contraception and now sore throats.

More information about 'Pharmacy First' services can be found at: online.hscni.net/our-work/pharmacy-and-medicines-management/community-pharmacy-services/pharmacy-first/