Number of Pharmacy First consultations dropped for first time in June 2024, data show

The number of claims made by community pharmacies in England through the Pharmacy First clinical pathway service dropped in June 2024 for the first time since the service launched in January 2024, NHS data have shown.

According to pharmacy claims data published by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) on 25 September 2024, there were 164,737 Pharmacy First consultations carried out in June 2024, down 2.3% from 168,447 in May 2024.

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) told The Pharmaceutical Journal, the month-on-month fall in consultations owes to June being a shorter month. It also reiterated that NHS England needs to market Pharmacy First effectively and ensure that GPs are actively referring people to the service.

The June 2024 data predate the start of GP collective action in August 2024, which pharmacy owners said in response to a CPE survey has led to a reduction in Pharmacy First referrals from general practices.

Further analysis of the data carried out by The Pharmaceutical Journal found that 3,640 pharmacies did not reach the threshold of 10 consultations needed to claim a £1,000 monthly payment in June 2024.

Of these, 1,455 pharmacies did not claim for any Pharmacy First consultations, an increase from 1,288 pharmacies in May 2024.

These figures include the 3.5% of pharmacies that have not registered to provide the service, as well as those that have registered but did not conduct any consultations.

The analysis found a wide variation in the proportion of pharmacies missing the threshold across integrated care boards (ICBs), from 51% in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly ICB to 25% in both the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB and Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB.

Commenting on the analysis, Malcolm Harrison, chief executive of the Company Chemists’ Association (CCA), said: “As the cold and flu season begins this autumn, we expect the overall volumes of consultations to rise.

“It’s clear that there is plenty more room for growth. We urgently need NHS England to dial up GP referrals and advertising to make patients aware of the service ahead of Christmas,” Harrison continued, adding that the regional variation in consultations “remains a concern”.

A spokesperson for the National Pharmacy Association said: “Pharmacies are determined for Pharmacy First to be a success and have provided care to many patients already.

“However, it is clear that challenges relating to GP participation in some areas as well as rigid payment thresholds have slowed down the rollout of the scheme.”

In response, David Wrigley, deputy chair of the British Medical Association’s GP Committee for England, said: “GPs have been subject to criticism that they are not sending patients to pharmacies under the scheme and that some practices are refusing to participate altogether.

“While we would not dispute claims that problems are affecting the rollout of Pharmacy First, we have seen no evidence that family doctors are refusing to take part.”

Wrigley added that GPs have raised concerns that Pharmacy First is being rolled out too quickly and relies on inadequate IT infrastructure, which he said “is ultimately increasing the burden on practices — putting further pressure on a system already close to breaking point”. 

On 2 September 2024, The Pharmaceutical Journal revealed that community pharmacies had missed out on almost £10m in funding in the first four months of the service, after failing to meet increasing payment thresholds.

On 30 September 2024, CPE announced that the payment threshold for October 2024 will be cut from 30 consultations to 20 following discussions between the negotiator, the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England.