NHS Pharmacy First (Scotland) Service - FAQ Eligibility

Published: 9th July 2026

The top question for this week is around the eligibility of patients to receive the service.

Here are the details. If you have any questions, please get in touch on enquiries@cps.scot

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The following persons are eligible for the service:

• a person registered with the Defence Medical services (even if they are a visitor to Scotland),

• a person registered on a permanent basis with a GP Practice in Scotland,

• a person registered on a temporary basis with a GP Practice in Scotland (unless they are a visitor to Scotland),

• a person who lives in Scotland,

• a person who is a gypsy or traveller in Scotland, or

• a person who is an asylum seeker in Scotland or a dependent of an asylum seeker in Scotland.

The following persons are not eligible to receive the service :

• a visitor to Scotland (which has the meaning given in paragraph 2.2. of the 2020 Directions.) Please read the additional notes below for more details.

Please read these additional notes:

For the purposes of the operation of NHS PFS Service

• A gypsy or traveller is someone who is part of distinct groups – such as Roma, Romany Gypsies, Scottish and Irish Travellers – who consider the travelling lifestyle part of their ethnic identity.

• An asylum seeker is someone who has lodged an application for international protection under the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention or Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights and is awaiting a decision from the (UK) Government.

• A visitor is someone who is away from their normal place of residence and who intends to stay in Scotland for less than 3 months. A person who is registered with a GP Practice in Scotland on a temporary basis and who is a visitor to Scotland under the 2020 Directions is not eligible to receive the service.

• A person in Scotland who is an asylum seeker, a dependent of an asylum seeker, a gypsy or traveller is not a visitor to Scotland for the purposes of the 2020 Directions

If you have any questions, please contact us on enquiries@cps.scot

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