Section Title

IMPROVING URGENT AND

EMERGENCY CARE THROUGH

BETTER USE OF PHARMACISTSHeidi Wright

Practice and Policy Lead, England - Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Bradford City CCG: Self Care Service, Pharmacy First

•Estimated release of over 900 hours GP time across 27 practices

•62.8% of consultations were OOH (between 8pm & 8am weekdays or Saturday and Sunday)

•95.3% of people were treated in the pharmacy – no onward referral

•1.5% referred urgently to GP/NHS 111 and 3.2% referred to GP in hours

•At least one medicine was supplied in 97.2% of consultations to either treat or provide symptomatic relief of their symptoms.

•93.6 % of patients said they would have used the GP

•Overall savings from the scheme for the first eight months is £4104

North East Pharmacy Emergency Repeat Medication Supply Service

•1475 successful referrals from NHS 111 and 2486 walk-in patients over 5 months.

•Of the patients accessing the service:• 10% would have gone to A&E• 34% would have gone to an urgent care or walk-in centre• 48% would have gone without medication• 92% found it easier or much easier to go to pharmacy than other

nearby health services• 99% would be happy or very happy to go to pharmacy for minor

conditions in future

•Total savings of £109,008 from Dec-April

•Release of capacity within GP OOH service

Pharmacists in NHS 111 and GP OOH providers

•Answering medicines queries from people and HCPs• Missed doses, overdosing, adverse reactions

•Enquiries on toxicity

•Triaging to community pharmacy & other providers

•Increasing accessibility via extended hours

•Repeat prescribing

North Manchester General and LloydsPharmacy pharmacy-led clinic

•First Care Clinic

•Minor injuries and common ailments

•Developed care pathways for 21 minor ailments and injuries such as minor burns, scalds, neck sprain, earache

•1 in 4 people who visit the A&E department at North Manchester General Hospital could be treated more quickly and more appropriately by a pharmacist

Medicines Optimisation

•Medicine Reviews

•Referrals between hospital and community pharmacy

•Polypharmacy

•Management of LTCs

"Pharmacists are ideally placed to give advice and it is they – rather than GPs – who should be the first port of call for common ailments. Pharmacists can also discuss the various treatments available, many of which will be cheaper than the cost of a prescription.“Nigel Mather, Honorary Secretary, RCGP

"Too often there’s an assumption that when people turn up at A&E they have made the ‘wrong’ choice and they are blamed for imposing a cost or a burden. However, people make choices based on their understanding and the information available, and how well they judge services to work. Therefore initiatives that highlight how people can get treatment for common ailments in a way that is both effective and easy to access are very welcome.“Jeremy Taylor, CEO, National Voices

"Pressure in A&E is a real concern for the NHS and we need the public to help by understanding where they can get the best care for their particular problem. Recognising that patients can use the skills and experience of pharmacists to treat common minor ailments would be an important step in this direction.“Dr Clifford Mann, President, RCEM