With rapid expansion of the pharmacists’ role in patient care and the supply of treatments, The Pharmacist launched a Pharmacy First zone on the website, focused on new clinical services available in pharmacies.
The Pharmacist: Pharmacy First zone
Objectives
The launch of the Pharmacy First scheme in England this year has been a significant development for patient services, and represents a huge commitment from community pharmacy teams.
The Pharmacist’s Pharmacy First zone brings together news and bespoke clinical CPD content, supporting pharmacy teams to deliver the services.
Our approach
Pharmacy First enables community pharmacists to offer advice and treatment, where merited, for seven common clinical conditions, guided by new national clinical protocols.
The clinical conditions are sinusitis, sore throat, acute otitis media, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, uncomplicated urinary tract infection in women. These are conditions where the patient would have otherwise needed an appointment at a GP practice.
Pharmacists’ influence over prescribing decisions makes them important clinical decision-makers.
Newly qualified pharmacists will be prescribers from 2026, meaning that pharmacists’ role in the supply of medicines and provision of NHS services will continue to rapidly expand.
Content is being promoted via a variety of tactics, including The Pharmacist’s newsletters and social media, and will be available through our app.
Over 90% of community pharmacies have signed up to deliver Pharmacy First in England since the launch of the service in January 2024.
Outcome
- 10,000+ page views
- 17% increase in time spent on the hub
The Pharmacy First zone has generated fantastic engagement since launch, with over 10,000 page views and a 17% increase in time spent on the hub compared to the rest of the site.
The hub continues to be supported by new articles, online ads, newsletter ads and social media.
For advertising opportunities across the Pharmacy First zone, please contact us today.