NHS England and NHS Improvement have developed a new service called The NHS Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (CPCS)
It means that if you phone us with a minor condition our reception team will listen to your symptoms, assess if you are suitable from a list of criteria, and then refer you to a community pharmacist who will ring you back within 3 hours. That’s so much quicker than we can often manage and also means that our clinicians can be freed up to deal with more complex cases. In turn this will reduce our waiting time to see a GP.
Some of the things that form part of the scheme are;
Bites and stings
Colds
Congestion
Ear and hearing problems
Gastric problems link indigestion and short term tummy upsets
Hay-fever
Sleep difficulties
Tiredness
Cystitis
Vaginal thrush or soreness
Pain or swelling
Skin problems like eczema, acne or rashes
Mouth and throat problems that are not dental – you will still be directed to the dentist if you have a dental problem
Once the pharmacist has assessed you they will recommend treatment, or if they think it’s an urgent matter direct you to A&E. Alternatively they can ring us back with treatment advice, you won’t need to ring us, they will do that for you. The scheme is currently open for everyone over 1 and has been working across England since 2018 so any issues will have been ironed out. All practices must direct minor conditions through this service
