Choose Pharmacy
Choose Pharmacy is a system that supports community pharmacies to provide services for patients and the public and aims to free up GP appointments for people with more complex needs.
The majority of pharmacies across Wales are able to offer the following services to their patients:
Common Ailments Service
The Common Ailments Service reduces the need for patients to attend the GP to seek treatment for minor ailments.
Treatment and/or advice may be offered for the following Common Ailments:
Some pharmacies providing the Common Ailments Service may also offer a Sore Throat Test and Treat consultation. This service provides a clinical assessment for patients presenting with a sore throat, may include a simple throat swab test for those with symptoms which suggest they may have a bacterial infection and the supply of suitable treatment.
- acne vulgaris
- allergic rhinitis
- athlete’s foot
- lower back pain without radiculopathy (acute)
- chickenpox (in children under 14 years of age)
- cold sores
- conjunctivitis (bacterial)
- constipation
- diarrhoea
- dry eye disease
- dry skin (includes contact dermatitis and atopic eczema)
- dyspepsia (Indigestion and heart burn)
- haemorrhoids
- hay fever (seasonal)
- head lice
- infantile colic
- ingrowing toenail
- mouth ulcers (simple aphthous)
- nappy rash
- oral candidiasis (oral thrush)
- ringworm (tinea corporis), tinea cruris and intertrigo
- scabies
- sore throat (interim guidance)
- teething
- threadworms
- vulvovaginal candidiasis
- warts and verrucae
Discharge Medicines Review
This service allows electronic discharge information to be transferred from the Hospital to a patient’s nominated Community Pharmacy with their consent and for the Pharmacy to undertake a Discharge Medicines Review. The service ensures that the patient is prescribed the correct medication after leaving hospital.
The pharmacy team can provide advice and assistance in managing the medication prescribed.
Contraception Service
The Contraception Service allows accredited community pharmacists to supply emergency contraception (morning after pill) and bridging contraception (a supply of regular contraception until a further supply can be prescribed) to a patient where appropriate.
Emergency Medicines Supply
The Emergency Medicines Supply service, where appropriate, allows pharmacists to provide patients with an emergency supply of medicine where they are unable to obtain a timely supply from their GP or usual pharmacy. Examples of when the service may be used are:
- when a patient is on holiday
- when medication is urgently required outside of GP hours
The consultation gives pharmacists access to a summary of the Welsh GP record to ensure they can supply the correct medication.
Independent Prescribers Service
The Independent Prescribers Service allows pharmacists who are qualified as Independent Prescribers to record a consultation within Choose Pharmacy. A pharmacist independent prescriber, where appropriate, can prescribe for any condition within their clinical competence.
This service provides access to the patient’s Welsh GP Record to support the pharmacist’s clinical decision making.
When undertaking a consultation, the pharmacist will provide advice for self-management of the condition and may prescribe medication. The pharmacist may also refer the patient to the GP or other setting such as A&E, Out-of-Hours service if necessary.
A summary letter will normally be generated at the end of the consultation to be sent to the patient’s GP.
A patient history will be created within Choose Pharmacy which will move with the patient if they access the Independent Prescribers Services at a different pharmacy.
Seasonal Flu Vaccine Service
The Choose Pharmacy system includes a flu vaccination service, which allows an eligible patient to consult their pharmacy to receive a flu jab. All flu consultation records completed within Choose Pharmacy will be sent electronically to the patient’s GP practice.
Choose Pharmacy is enabled by software that has been developed by Digital Health and Care Wales.