New health service rolled out across Derry community pharmacies

Minister of Health, Mike Nesbitt, has announced the roll out of a ‘Pharmacy First for Sore Throat' service, from community pharmacies across Derry, and the rest of Northern Ireland, this winter.

The service will offer advice, a clinical assessment, and appropriate treatment, to anyone aged five years and over in these pharmacies from December 1.

This follows on from the positive evaluation of a pilot service delivered in 43 pharmacies in 2023.

Between November 2023, and March 2024, over 6,700 people have accessed the service, which in turn, helps to relieve pressure on other urgent care services.

Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt, said, “The ‘Pharmacy First for Sore Throat’ service has been proven to offer a high-quality, efficient, and, effective clinical pathway for people aged five years old and over to receive assessment and necessary treatment for sore throats, helping to free up GP time for management of other complex and urgent cases,

“The 'Pharmacy First' initiative provides an easily accessible way for people to receive clinical care for common winter illnesses close to their homes, or on our high streets, without the need for a GP appointment. I have no doubt the extension of the ‘Pharmacy First’ service to include sore throat will be a welcome addition to the range of clinical care that people can receive in the heart of their own communities from local pharmacy teams. I would encourage the public to avail of these services to help keep well over the winter period,” he added. 

Pharmacists will offer a confidential consultation in a private area of the pharmacy, where they will assess the sore throat symptoms, and provide management, advice, and treatment, if required.

As part of the clinical assessment, the pharmacist may carry out a test, usually a throat swab, to help determine the cause of the throat irritation, and help to decide on the best treatment to provide, if needed.

READ MORE: Rural Support offers help to the farming community during challenging times 

Sore throats are normally caused by viral infections. Symptoms usually last around a week and will normally go away by themselves.

Antibiotics are not normally needed for sore throat as they will not usually relieve symptoms or speed up recovery, however community pharmacists will provide advice and treatment where appropriate should a bacterial sore throat be diagnosed.

Pharmacists may also offer treatment to help alleviate symptoms such as pain or fever.

Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, Professor Cathy Harrison said, “All community pharmacists are qualified healthcare professionals, and are uniquely placed to provide much valued and accessible clinical care in the community setting. Our health service will also benefit as these consultations will create capacity that will help to alleviate some of the pressures across the sector. I very much welcome the wider rollout of the ‘Pharmacy First for Sore Throat’ service.”

Gerard Greene, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI said, “Community pharmacists are increasingly playing a greater role in the delivery of clinical services, and this is to be welcomed. Through the expansion of this service, patients across Northern Ireland will benefit from being seen, assessed, and if necessary, treated close to home,

"Community pharmacies continue to be very busy, especially over the winter period, and we would ask that people accessing pharmacy services continue to be patient with staff as they deliver these much utilised services.”

‘Pharmacy First’ services are available at most community pharmacies in Northern Ireland, and provide a range of treatments for common illnesses, urinary tract infection, emergency contraception and now, sore throats.

More information about ‘Pharmacy First’ services can be found here.