When pharmacy first was first launched earlier this year almost half of people in the UK that utilised pharmacies were unaware of the schemes launch.
Uptake increasing
In January, there were 125,275 consultations and in July there were 186,190 consultations demonstrating that consultations have steadily risen on in the first six months. However, an analysis of the figures shows that there has been a huge variations in uptake regionally. This is because in July over 10,000 consultations took place in two integrated care board (ICBs) areas. Whilst there were four ICB’s where less than 2,000 Pharmacy First Consultations occurred.
Despite uptake increasing, if all 42 ICB areas had achieved the same number of appoints as the highest performing areas they would only be about half way to achieving the government’s target of 10million appointments by the winter of 2025. Although, it is expected that consultations are more than likely to increase in the winter months.
Despite not being close to achieving the government target, the department for health and social care has decided to reduce the number of consultations pharmacies have to achieve in order to receive their £1,000 monthly fixed payment. This is because pharmacy owners have warned that the previous targets were unachievable on top of their previous workload.
What has the impact of Pharmacy First been?
It is thought that the impact of Pharmacy First has varied from region to region. This is mainly due to lack of patient engagement and low pharmacy confidence. It is believed that when patient and pharmacy engagement has been good the scheme has worked well, however below are some of the areas where GPs and pharmacies believe there could be improvements:
- Communication between GP practices and pharmacies
- Refining the Pharmacy First process to ensure it is more streamlined
- Allowing pharmacies to treat more conditions
Summary
To summarise, while the Pharmacy First initiative has seen steady growth in consultations, regional disparities and ongoing challenges in patient engagement highlight the need for improvements in communication and process refinement. As the winter months approach, there is hope that increased uptake will bring the scheme closer to its goals, but adjustments to targets and further support for pharmacies will be crucial to its success.
How can we help?
At Hawsons our dedicated team of specialist accountants and tax advisors offer a wealth of experience in the care sector including residential homes, nursing homes and other specialist care services.
Our in-depth knowledge and understanding of the sector is applied and we work closely with our clients, ensuring that changes in the care sector are recognised promptly and appropriate strategies implemented and actions taken. We recognise that no two homes are the same.
Scott Sanderson
Partner
Free initial meeting
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