Campaign to Raise Awareness of Pharmacy Expansion

NHS England (NHSE) has launched a new campaign aiming to drive awareness of the new capabilities in high-street pharmacies. How will the campaign help to ensure that patients know of the services on offer?

NHSE is looking to support the primary care access recovery plan, with the launch of its new campaign.

It announced that pharmacies would begin offering treatment for seven common conditions, including sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections.

Pharmacy signs will be rebranded to raise awareness 

More than 10,000 sites, accounting for over nine in 10 community pharmacies in England have joined the initiative. NHSE has revealed that the move can free up 10 million GP appointments a year.

Now, the health service is launching TV, radio, in-person, and social media adverts to encourage people to take advantage of their pharmacy’s newfound scope.

Some of the pharmacy signs will even be rebranded during the campaign to ensure that patients know of the new services on offer and the symptoms for things like earache and insect bites.

The changes will make pharmacy services more convenient 

The health service has highlighted that the move follows a recent Ipsos study that showed 58% of the public considers pharmacies as their most likely destination for information on a minor health condition.

Despite this, one in five (20%) have said that they don’t usually contact or visit community pharmacies.

NHSE’s Medical Director for Primary Care, Dr Claire Fuller explained that this campaign will help to make patients more aware of the support they could have: “The changes that the NHS has made to community pharmacy services mean that people now have a new easy and convenient way of managing and treating many common illnesses.”

Continuing, she added: “This important campaign will help people understand the new level of support that pharmacies can offer, with skilled and highly-qualified health professionals delivering even more excellent support in local communities.”

Ensuring that patients are aware of the new capabilities in high-street pharmacies will be key in ensuring that the NHS can deliver the best patient care, and deliver effective treatments to those who need it the most.