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Pharmacy First Plus

Pharmacy First Plus (PFP+) is an enhancement to the national NHS Pharmacy First service. It enables community pharmacists who are Independent Prescribers (IPs) to provide extended clinical assessment and prescribe medicines for a broader range of conditions within the community pharmacy setting.

What is Pharmacy First Plus?

It builds directly on the core Pharmacy First service, which already allows all community pharmacists to provide advice, treatment and, where appropriate, supply medicines for common clinical conditions under nationally agreed Patient Group Directions (PGDs)

Delivered by community pharmacists who are independent prescribers.

Pharmacy First Plus: Frequently Asked Questions

  • Pharmacy First Plus is an enhancement to Scotland’s NHS Pharmacy First service. It enables community pharmacists who are qualified Independent Prescribers to clinically assess patients, diagnose within their competence, and prescribe appropriate medicines directly from the pharmacy.

  • Pharmacy First is delivered by all community pharmacies in Scotland and provides treatment and advice for a defined list of common clinical conditions, often using Patient Group Directions.

    Pharmacy First Plus is delivered by pharmacist Independent Prescribers and allows prescribing based on individual clinical assessment rather than relying solely on national protocols. It expands the range and complexity of care that can be provided within the community pharmacy setting.

  • The service is delivered by community pharmacists who hold an Independent Prescribing qualification and are practising within their clinical competence.

⬅️ National Service

Whilst core services must be delivered by all community pharmacies on the pharmaceutical list, the National suite of services is optional. That said, the vast majority of pharmacies in Scotland offer all of these services.