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
Community Pharmacy Scotland is supporting Know Before You Go, the new Scottish Government and NHS Scotland campaign that puts community pharmacy at the heart of helping people get the right care first time.
The campaign aims to show the public just how much their local pharmacy can do. It encourages people to think pharmacy first for many minor illnesses and common health conditions, rather than defaulting to A&E or general practice.
Pharmacy is the focus of the campaign's first year, and paid media activity began on Monday 26 October. We are encouraging contractors and pharmacy teams across Scotland to get behind it and help extend its reach in their communities.
About the campaign
Know Before You Go builds on Right Care Right Place, which has helped people find the right care, in the right place, at the right time since November 2020. The new campaign takes a long-term, always-on approach, keeping core messages in front of the public for an extended period so they are front of mind when people need care.
It is aimed at all adults in Scotland, with particular attention on people living in deprived areas, older adults, parents of children under five, young adults living away from home for the first time and ethnic minority communities.
The pharmacy campaign runs from October 2026 to March 2027 across TV and video on demand, radio, digital, paid social and search, with outdoor advertising from December and press partnerships in January and February. A micro-campaign promoting optometry services will follow in January 2027.
All campaign activity signposts people to NHS inform, where they can find out more about the services available to them.
Key messages
The campaign's core message is simple: for the right treatment, know before you go. It tells the public that:
for many common health conditions, they will often get help and advice faster at the pharmacy
pharmacies can treat more than they might think, and pharmacists are experts in a wide range of everyday conditions
no appointment is needed, giving people access to care closer to home, often with less waiting
knowing this before they need it means they are ready to make the right call when the time comes
These messages reflect what community pharmacy teams already deliver every day through NHS Pharmacy First Scotland and wider services, and we welcome a national campaign that helps the public recognise it.
How you can get involved
The Scottish Government has produced a stakeholder toolkit with a suite of ready-to-use materials, and more will be added throughout the campaign. Contractors and pharmacy teams can help by:
Displaying posters in your pharmacy. Campaign posters cover skin conditions and allergies, and sore throats and earaches.
Sharing on social media. Static images and the hero film are available to post on your own channels.
Tagging the campaign. On Facebook, tag @healthierscotland and @TheScottishGovernment; on Instagram, tag @scotgov. Use the hashtags #KnowBeforeYouGo and #RightCareRightPlace.
Briefing your team. Make sure everyone knows the campaign is running, so they are ready for patients who come in having seen it.
Here is an example post you can use:
Cold, flu or a sore throat? You can often get help and expert advice faster at the pharmacy. For more information on how your local pharmacy can help, visit nhsinform.scot/rightcare
For the right treatment, know before you go. #KnowBeforeYouGo #RightCareRightPlace
Resources and contact
Download the stakeholder toolkit [link to be added]
Download posters and social media assets via the Scottish Government Resource Centre [link to be added]
Watch the campaign TV advert [link to be added]
Find out more at nhsinform.scot/rightcare
If you have questions about the campaign, need additional assets or would like to work with the Scottish Government on it, contact Brie Tahere at Brie.Tahere@gov.scot.
