FROM blood pressure checks to emergency contraception, as well as treatment for seven common conditions, the great work of local pharmacists is being celebrated by NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

The network of more than 90 community pharmacies has recently hit two milestones, with the first anniversary of the Pharmacy First scheme and the third year of the Walk In Consultation Service (WICS) running in Cornwall.

WICS was the successful pilot for Pharmacy First and launched across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in January 2021. The service has now seen more than 38,000 patient consultations, with 80 per cent of those patients’ receiving advice or treatment before leaving the pharmacy.

This has also resulted in the avoidance of more than 500 unnecessary trips to the emergency department, according to Community Pharmacy Cornwall which has provided statistics on the success of WICS.

Both initiatives were introduced to enable safe and accessible healthcare, by allowing patients to receive treatment for minor ailments directly from community pharmacies without needing a GP appointment.

Dr Chris Reid, chief medical officer for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board said: "Our community pharmacies are doing a great job by offering a simple and quick way to access treatment. This has reduced patient waiting times and freed up GP appointments for those with more complex health issues. We know that many people love the ease and convenience of being able to pop into a local pharmacy to get the help they need.”

Pharmacy First launched on January 31, 2024 with the main aim of treating seven common conditions, these are sinusitis, sore throats, childhood earaches, insect bites, skin infections, shingles, and urinary tract infections.

Both services are still running and patients can walk in to their local pharmacy for an on-the-day consultation instead of calling or attending their GP practice. This is proving particularly convenient during the winter months and seasonally when holiday makers are in the county adding additional pressures to local services.

Nick Kaye is the CEO of Community Pharmacy Cornwall and said: “Community pharmacies in Cornwall have led the way with our England first walk in service, in fact the success of this service has led to further national service being commissioned in the form of Pharmacy First. Community pharmacy teams across Cornwall should feel proud of their hard work and commitment to patient care.”

Alongside these initiatives, pharmacists can carry out health screenings such as blood pressure checks, cholesterol tests and diabetes monitoring to help detect and manage health conditions early.

They can provide emergency contraceptives and certain vaccinations, such as flu, COVID-19 and travel. Find your local pharmacist using NHS Find a pharmacy tool.

Pharmacists are trained and highly skilled in treating minor illness.

Preventing and tackling high blood pressure is a priority of the NHS, which is seeking the views of local people that will help shape future services. People are asked to share their views in a quick survey: www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/Cornwall-BP