Community Pharmacy
What are our priorities and what do we want to achieve?
The ICB is progressing the development of a community pharmacy strategy, in partnership with the local authority and Community Pharmacy Lincolnshire, to develop community pharmacy within Lincolnshire. This will endeavour to support resilience, improve access for patients and to improve integration with general practice.
What are we doing? Examples of our work
Pharmacy First Service (Clinical Pathways)
The Pharmacy First service commenced on 31 January 2024 and builds on the Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (CPCS) which has run since October 2019. The new Clinical Pathways element of the service is for common conditions and involves pharmacists providing advice and, where clinically appropriate, treatment in the form of over the counter and NHS prescription- only medication (normal prescription charges may apply). All Lincolnshire ‘in-person’ community pharmacies are offering the Pharmacy First Service, as well as several of the Lincolnshire Distance Selling Pharmacies. The service is available for patients meeting the service criteria through presenting to the pharmacy as well as through referral from NHS providers, including GPs. Prior to the launch of Pharmacy First, patients had to visit their GP to access prescription only medicine, meaning the service improves access to care for patients as well as reducing demand for GP appointments where conditions can be provided by a pharmacy.
The ICB has worked closely with GP practices and Community Pharmacies to implement referral pathway to support utilisation of the service. The current ICB focus is increasing public awareness of the service and self-referral options through developing local resources.
Blood Pressure Check Service (Hypertension)
The NHS Long Term Plan focuses on tackling health inequalities and the prevention of ill health, with an aim to prevent 150,000 strokes and heart attacks caused by cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Early detection of elevated blood pressure (hypertension) is vital to achieve this as it allows quick diagnosis and treatment, reducing the risk of stroke and heart attack. The Community Pharmacy Blood Pressure Check Service allows Community Pharmacy staff to take blood pressure readings under supervision of a pharmacist.
The service has two stages:
- Identifying people at risk of hypertension and offering them a clinical blood pressure reading (takes place at the pharmacy).
- Where clinically indicated, offer patients a continuous BP reading over an extended time frame using an Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitor (ABPM).
The service aims to:
- Identify people with high blood pressure who have previously not had a diagnosis of hypertension.
- Support GPs and at their request, undertake ‘clinic consultation’ readings and ABPMs.
- Promote healthy lifestyle behaviours to patients.
- Support the use of wider pharmacy staff skill mixing.
In Lincolnshire, all ‘in-person’ Community Pharmacies are signed up to provide this service.
Oral Contraception
The Oral Contraception Service gives patients the option of being able to have a confidential consultation with a Community Pharmacist rather than visiting their GP or sexual health clinic for:
- Ongoing monitoring and supply of oral contraception prescriptions.
- Initiation of oral contraception (including switching to alternative forms of oral contraception).
The service offers patients more choice, supports the role community pharmacies have in improving patient access to treatments and frees up primary care capacity for more complex assessments. Approximately 75% of pharmacy contractors (86 of 115 pharmacies) in Lincolnshire are currently signed up to provide the Oral Contraception service. The ICB is working closely with the Local Pharmaceutical Committee, Community Pharmacy Lincolnshire, and community pharmacies across Lincolnshire to increase pharmacy contractors signed up to offer this service.