NHS CPCS is a community pharmacist-led clinical service, which is well established in community pharmacy and has been managing referrals from NHS111 since 2019. Practices will be able to send referrals for minor illness conditions for a same day consultation with a community pharmacist.
When a patient with minor illness symptoms phones or visits the practice requesting an appointment, they are referred for a consultation with a community pharmacist and, with their consent, an electronic referral message is sent to the patient’s chosen pharmacy.
When the referral is received, the pharmacist will carry out a consultation with the patient which can include advice or purchase of an OTC medicine. Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, the pharmacist will either contact the patient by phone to carry out the consultation, arrange for them to attend the pharmacy if appropriate, or offer a video consultation. The pharmacist will take the patient’s medical history and ask about symptoms and any current medication.
Following the consultation, the pharmacist will offer self-care advice and may sell the patient an over-the-counter medication if appropriate and if they agree. If, following the consultation, the patient needs to be escalated or referred to another healthcare setting then the pharmacist can arrange this, e.g. the pharmacist will help the patient to arrange an urgent GP appointment, or escalate to an urgent care setting such as 111, A&E, Walk in Centre or Dentist if appropriate. The pharmacist will make a record of the outcome and send it to the patient’s GP by secure digital message.
Please see the CPCS Poster for more information.