The NHS is facing a huge crisis in terms of workforce capacity and enabling patient access to healthcare professional appointments. Waiting lists are at the highest levels, since records began in August 2007, and growing.¹ It has long been understood that community pharmacy can provide an effective way to reduce demand on primary care and A&E by offering alternative places to get advice, guidance and medication. Community pharmacies have high coverage in areas of greater deprivation providing access to those in most need.

This initiative is designed to enable general practices in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR) to view available appointments in community pharmacies and book them using a scalable IT (Information Technology) solution. An initial proof of solution will run in approximately 45 pharmacies across 3 primary care networks (PCNs) for a period of 6 months. This would mean access to approximately 135 more primary care appointments each day for patients (45 community pharmacies opening a minimum of 3 appointments each day across the ICS (Integrated Care System)) freeing up capacity in primary care and optimising services of the community pharmacies in the project.

Benefits for the NHS and/or partner(s)

Benefits for Pfizer

Pfizer will provide £23,136 to fund the additional IT solution, enabling a connection between general practices and community pharmacy and to fund a full project evaluation. In addition, 56 hours of Pfizer colleagues’ time will be provided to support the project through all stages of delivery from planning to evaluation.

Community Pharmacy Leicestershire and Rutland will provide 220 hours of time to the project, including the implementation of IT solution to identify and prioritise patients to be referred to community pharmacy from general practice.