Health Minister has announced the roll out of
a ‘Pharmacy First for Sore Throat' Service from community
pharmacies across Northern Ireland this winter.
The Service will offer advice, clinical assessment and
appropriate treatment to anyone aged five years and over in
community pharmacies from 1 December 2024.
The roll out of the ‘Pharmacy First for Sore Throat' service
across Northern Ireland follows positive evaluation of a pilot
service delivered in 43 pharmacies last year. Over 6,700 people
accessed the service between November 2023 and March 2024,
helping to relieve pressure on other urgent care services.
Health Minister 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:
https://online.hscni.net/our-work/pharmacy-and-medicines-management/community-pharmacy-services/pharmacy-first/
