Home
/
Features
/
NHS Pharmacy First

NHS Pharmacy First

Get treated for six common health conditions including sinusitis, sore throat, infected insect bites, impetigo, shingles and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women, without having to see your GP. Pharmacy First is an NHS service that is free at the point of use for patients who are registered with the NHS in England.

This is a FREE service for users registered with the NHS in England

Pharmacy first

No Account? No Problem!

A woman in a white medical coat with a stethoscope smiles and points to her right, standing in front of a green background with white plus signs.

How it works

Step 1

Go to the tools page. Select NHS Pharmacy First. You can select the star icon on the tool and this will create a shortcut on your dashboard for ease of future use

A smartphone screen displaying the "Tools" section of a healthcare app, featuring "NHS Pharmacy First" and "NHS Online Pharmacy" options against a pink background.
Step 2

Using the action button select ‘Select Condition’

A smartphone screen showing a health app's "My Favorite Tools" section. It includes options for "NHS Pharmacy First," "Actions," "Select condition," "Active orders," and "Past orders.
Step 3

Select the condition you would like to get treated for

A smartphone screen displaying a medical app with the conditions: Impetigo, Infected Insect Bites, Sinusitis, and Sore Throat. The "Impetigo" option is highlighted.
Step 4

Complete the short screening quiz. This will determine if you are eligible for the service

Smartphone displaying the NHS Pharmacy First Eligibility Checker app, currently showing information about impetigo symptoms and descriptions. Background features a pattern of shield icons.
Step 5

If you pass the screening quiz, select a time and date for your consultation. You can also choose your preferred language

A smartphone screen displays a health app with options to select a preferred consultation time, choose a language, and enter a medical condition, which in this instance is "Impetigo.
Step 6

You will now see a list of clinicians that are specially trained to provide the service that you have chosen. You can filter clinicians by gender. Once you have selected your clinician, you will be able to confirm the booking and add the appointment date to your calendar.

A smartphone screen displays an app showing available clinicians. The options to filter by gender are "Any Gender," "Female," and "Male." Two clinicians are listed: Dr. Dan Cheung and Dr. A.N. Other.
Step 7

You will receive an email and notification reminder, 30 minutes before the consultation starts. You will also be able to track your consultation in ‘My Consultations’ located on your dashboard

A smartphone screen displays an app showing a user's consultation details for an NHS Pharmacy First appointment set for May 24, 2024, with Clinician John McCollin.
Step 8

During the consultation, the clinician will assess and diagnose your health condition. If the clinician determines that it is safe and appropriate to prescribe a treatment, then you will be issued a prescription

A man wearing headphones is video chatting with a woman on a smartphone screen.
Step 9

Your prescription order will now be available in your shopping cart

A smartphone displaying a shopping cart screen for purchasing 24 tablets of Amoxicillin 250mg for £9.90, with an option to remove the item and a button to proceed to delivery details.
Step 10

After you have checked out, your order will be processed and dispatched. The tracking code will appear in ‘My Notifications’. You will also receive a notification summarising the consultation, including any advisories issued by the clinician

Two smartphones displaying a delivery tracking app. One screen shows order status and shipping details. The other screen shows notification for dispatched order from NHS Pharmacy, including tracking code.

Service Guide

Everything you need to know about NHS Pharmacy First

What is NHS Pharmacy First?

If you are aged 18 years and over, and registered with the NHS in England, you may qualify for a FREE remote video consultation and treatment covering six common conditions, without having to see your GP.

Pharmacy First is the name of a new service which is available to ALL NHS patients across England and will allow you to get treated with prescription-only medications, without having to visit your GP or obtain a prescription.

The FREE service is subject to eligibility requirements. To check if you qualify, select the condition you would like to get treated in the search box and answer the screening questions.

What conditions do you treat with NHS Pharmacy First?

We assess and treat the following conditions:

  • Sinusitis
  • Sore throats
  • Infected insect bites
  • Impetigo
  • Shingles
  • Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women

If treatments are prescribed, they are dispensed and delivered to your home or workplace from NowPatient’s online pharmacy.

Is this a safe service?

Yes. Our formulary of medications prescribed and conditions treated are controlled, governed, and continuously risk-assessed by the NHS. Our service is conducted through remote video consultations, also known as synchronous consultations. This builds patient safety and prescribing appropriateness into our service, ensuring our clinicians can be satisfied with who and what they are treating. There is no guarantee of supply of medications, and any medications supplied are at the sole discretion of our assessing clinician.

How will I know that the service is being provided by a trustworthy clinician?

Our clinicians are board-certified pharmacists who can also prescribe selected medications for six common treatable conditions, which is set out by the NHS. Our clinicians are registered with their respective regulatory bodies. For example, a pharmacist is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Each clinician undergoes an extensive background check including a disclosure and barring service check (DBS). In addition, they undergo a rigorous license verification process. When you book an appointment with one of our clinicians you will see their full name, license number, and any specialized credentials they have.

Is the service available in the United States and the United Kingdom?

No. At the moment, it is only available in England.

Can I use NowPatient’s NHS Pharmacy First feature if I live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?

This service is commissioned by NHS England and is only available to patients in England. You will not be able to use the feature if you live in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.

Do I need to pay for this service?

This is a FREE service for NHS-registered users. If you are prescribed medication at the end of your assessment and you are not exempt from NHS prescription charges, then you will need to pay a single NHS prescription charge. If you are exempt from prescription charges, for example, if you are on Income Support or aged over 60, then you will not be charged.

How do I know if I qualify?

If you suspect you are suffering from any of the following conditions:

  • Sore throats
  • Sinusitis
  • Infected insect bites
  • Impetigo
  • Shingles
  • Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women

You will need to complete a screening quiz. This will allow us to check if you are eligible for treatment.

To get started, go to the NHS Pharmacy First service card on the dashboard. Select the following action – ‘Treat Condition’

You will be taken to a selection screen where you will need to select the condition that you are looking to treat. After you have selected the condition, you will need to complete a short screening quiz, which will determine if you are eligible for the service. If you do not qualify, we will signpost you to the right NHS care provider or service.

What are the next steps, if I qualify?

If you qualify, you will need to follow a few simple steps to complete a consultation booking with one of our NHS Pharmacy First trained clinicians.

During the booking confirmation, you will be able to select a date and time that is convenient for you, along with the preferred language and gender of the prescribing clinician you wish to choose. You will then see a list of all available expert clinicians who are trained to assess the medication or condition chosen. Once you have confirmed your booking, you will see a summary of the appointment including preliminary information about the consultation. At this point, you will also be able to add a reminder to your calendar. Always ensure your account health profile is up to date before any consultation. This ensures that our clinicians have the most up-to-date information about your current health status and anything that may influence their prescribing decisions. You will receive a push notification, SMS notification and email reminding you of your consultation, 30 minutes before the virtual consultation is due to start.

Depending on certain medications which require our clinicians to have your up-to-date blood pressure readings, you may be required to submit a virtual blood pressure check, using your smartphone or device. We will provide you with full instructions, when this is required.

Will you have access to my GP records?

Yes, as an NHS patient, our pharmacists will be able to access your GP record including medications, observations, and investigations. This ensures we are able to assess and treat your condition safely and appropriately.

What happens during the remote video consultation?

During the consultation, the clinician will ask you a series of questions that will allow the clinician to assess your condition and potential treatment options. At the end of the consultation, the clinician will decide if a treatment is a safe and suitable option for you.

If it is, the clinician will discuss the various treatment options that may be available, so that you can jointly agree on the option that is most suited to you. Once you have jointly agreed on a treatment plan, the clinician will issue a prescription order which will be available in your Cart at the end of the consultation.

Also, with your consent, the clinician may wish to inform your doctor of the treatment that was prescribed. We recommend that you agree to this since your doctor is responsible for your overall care and they should have a record of this consultation and medication prescribed. In addition, our clinician may take the opportunity to advise you on your overall health including advice on healthy living or stop smoking.

What happens at the end of the consultation?

At the end of the consultation, you will receive a notification which will summarise the outcome. It will also advise you if any referrals were made to your doctor, along with any other advice that was given to you by the clinician.

If a referral letter was issued to your doctor, you will be able to view a copy of this in the ‘Documents’ section of the dashboard.

If you were prescribed a treatment, it will now be available in your Cart.

When you go to your Cart, you will be able to select the treatment, checkout and make payment. Once the checkout is complete, your prescription order will be sent to our regulated online pharmacy for processing.

What if the clinician does not prescribe a treatment?

We operate a safe prescribing service. This means that our prescribing clinicians always exercise their clinical judgment when prescribing. Unfortunately, we do not operate a self select service where you can choose a medication and simply buy. If the clinician that sees you does not prescribe anything, then you will not be charged.

Will I get status updates for my order?

Yes. When your treatment is approved, and after you have checked out and paid for your order, we will keep you fully updated with the status of your order. Every time the status of your order changes, you will be notified immediately. These notifications will appear in the ‘Notification Feed’ section on the dashboard.

How will my order be delivered?

All orders are shipped in discreet and unmarked packaging. This means it is suitable for delivery wherever you require (home, work, or a neighbour).

For thermo-sensitive orders we use cold chain-validated packaging. Your parcel will normally receive an estimated delivery window from the courier on the day of delivery.

For your protection and safety, your first order can only be delivered to the address that is registered with NowPatient. Future orders can be delivered to any other address, for example, your workplace.

Do you ship cold-chain or temperature sensitive products?

Yes. We use a specialist courier service for all thermo-sensitive deliveries. This is to ensure that cold chain integrity is always maintained and thus the product quality, safety and efficacy.

Learn more about how we handle the delivery of temperature sensitive products.

Where do you deliver?

We currently deliver to all postcodes in England. Some postcodes in rural areas may have a slightly longer delivery time.

When will my order arrive?

We aim to ship all orders placed Monday – Friday before 3pm on the same day. Orders placed outside these times will be shipped the next working day. All deliveries are shipped by Royal Mail, which delivers Monday through Saturday in the UK.

Our delivery options have the following delivery times (England Only):

  • Royal Mail Standard Tracked & Signed for Delivery for NHS prescriptions – 2/3 day delivery (normally 48 hours)
  • DHL Express Tracked Delivery – 1/2 day delivery (normally 24 hours)
  • Royal Mail Special Delivery – Next working day (Royal Mail Guaranteed before 1pm)

What should I do if my order has not arrived?

Delivery is normally made promptly after your dispatch notification is received. You can check the tracking details of your order in the ‘Notification Feed’ section of the dashboard, at any point after dispatch.

Unfortunately, packages can sometimes get lost in the delivery system. If after 10 days you have not received your delivery, please contact us and we will do all we can to resolve the problem.

Is NHS Pharmacy First safe for me to use?

Yes. The NowPatient NHS Pharmacy first eligibility triage is classified as a class I medical device under UK MDR 2002 regulations, for its intended use.

Faq icon

About Telehealth

Now Patient Data Security

Trusted and certified to keep your data safe.

Learn moreNow Patient Data Security
Now Patient Data Security

Can I Trust NowPatient

Our product and services are certified to international healthcare, medical device and data security standards

WHY WE BUILT NOWPATIENT

We are committed to helping everyone, everywhere live healthier lives

The NowPatient virtual care platform provides you with access to trusted health information, affordable treatments, management of chronic health conditions and continuous monitoring for health risks. NowPatient can be accessed by downloading the App or using your web browser.

Download our app today

NowPatient's app dashboard

Your Questions Answered

For your peace of mind, we can answer your questions quickly