This information was correct at the time of publication. Policy and guidance can change, so please check our latest news for the current position. For anything else, please contact enquiries@cps.scot
It’s Ask Your Pharmacist Week from 2 to 9 November, a chance to highlight the advice, treatment and support available from community pharmacies across Scotland.
NHS Pharmacy First Scotland is available through every community pharmacy in Scotland. Pharmacy teams can provide expert help with common clinical conditions, offering advice, treatment or a referral to another healthcare professional when required.
Depending on your symptoms and the services available locally, you may be able to receive the help you need directly from your community pharmacy without visiting your GP first. Some pharmacies also have a Community Pharmacist Independent Prescriber who can assess and treat a wider range of conditions through NHS Pharmacy First Plus.
Your local pharmacy is often a convenient first place to ask for help. During Ask Your Pharmacist Week, we are encouraging people across Scotland to speak to their pharmacy team and make use of the NHS services available in their community.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Pharmacy teams can use Ask Your Pharmacist Week to highlight the advice, treatment and referral available through NHS Pharmacy First Scotland. Teams can also encourage people to approach their local pharmacy first when they need help with a common clinical condition.
Source: Community Pharmacy Scotland (NHS PHarmacy First Scotland service), National Pharmacy Association (Ask Your Pharmacist Week 2026)
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Pharmacy teams can provide expert help with common clinical conditions, including advice and treatment. When another healthcare professional is better placed to provide further care, the pharmacy team can make an appropriate referral.
Source: Community Pharmacy Scotland (NHS PHarmacy First Scotland service)
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NHS Pharmacy First Plus enables Community Pharmacist Independent Prescribers to assess and treat a wider range of conditions. This can allow patients to receive more of the care they need directly from their community pharmacy without visiting their GP first.
Source: Community Pharmacy Scotland (NHS PHarmacy First Scotland service)
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Community pharmacies provide convenient local access to advice, treatment and support. NHS Pharmacy First Scotland is available through every community pharmacy in Scotland, making pharmacy teams an accessible first place to ask for help with common clinical conditions.
Source: Community Pharmacy Scotland (NHS PHarmacy First Scotland service)
