NHS Care Services

Minor Ailment Service

The Right Medicine made a commitment to introduce schemes to allow patients to use the pharmacy of their choice as the first port of call for the treatment of common illnesses on the NHS. Following the completion of a service in two pilot areas the service was rolled out nationwide in July 2006. The service aims to:

• Improve access for patients to medicines

• Promote care through the community pharmacy setting

• Transfer care from GPs and nurses to pharmacists where it is appropriate

• Help address health inequalities

• Assist the primary care team to achieve their 48 hour access commitment

Patients who are registered with a Scottish GP and who fulfil one of the following criteria

• under 16 years of age or under 19 years of age and in full-time education;

• aged 60 years or over;

• have a valid maternity exemption certificate, medical exemption certificate, or war pension exemption certificate;

• get Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or Pension Credit Guarantee Credit; and

• are named on, or are entitled to, an NHS tax credit exemption certificate or a valid HC2 certificate.

with the exception of people who are resident in a care home and are a temporary residents can register with a community pharmacy to receive the service.

A pharmacist can provide advice, treatment or a referral to another health care professional according to the patients’ needs. The full specification for the service can be accessed here.

The provision of the service is supported by the ePharmacy programme. All community pharmacies are required to possess the necessary software functionality. A checklist of the requirements is available here.