Community Pharmacy Service Posted or Updated on 22 Feb 2024

We are starting a new approach to improve access for patients to GP appointments. The aim is to direct patients to the most appropriate healthcare professional, which may be a GP or a pharmacist.

If your symptoms could be resolved by a consultation with one of the local community pharmacists instead of the GP, we have asked our reception staff to give you a same-day referral to a local pharmacy of your choice. If the pharmacist advises that your symptoms do require an assessment by a GP they will contact us and we will ensure you are assessed by a GP.

We think this is a great service. Once you see how great your local pharmacist is – they are highly trained and skilled clinicians very experienced in treating minor illnesses – we don’t think you’ll look back. This will also help us to free up GP appointments for people with more complex health needs and ensure that everyone gets treated at the right time, by the right healthcare professional"