Healthwatch wants to hear your views on Pharmacy First and local pharmacy services
Pharmacy First allows people to access advice and treatment for a range of common conditions directly from a community pharmacy, often without needing to see a GP first.
Through the survey, Healthwatch wants to understand how well the service is working, what could be improved and whether local pharmacies are helping people access care more quickly and conveniently. Feedback from people who have used the service, as well as those who have not, will help local health and care organisations better understand awareness of Pharmacy First, barriers to access and opportunities to improve patient experience.
In addition to the survey, Healthwatch outreach officers will be visiting community pharmacies across Leicester and Leicestershire to speak directly with members of the public and hear first-hand about their experiences of using pharmacy services.
“Community pharmacies are playing an increasingly important role in helping people access healthcare quickly and closer to home. We want to hear from local people about their experiences of Pharmacy First, whether positive or negative, so we can help shape future services and ensure they meet the needs of our communities.
As well as completing our survey, people may see our outreach team in local pharmacies over the coming weeks. We encourage everyone to stop and have a conversation with us about their experiences. Every piece of feedback helps us understand what's working well and where improvements may be needed."
If you live in Leicester and Leicestershire and have used Pharmacy First or simply want to share your views on local pharmacy services, we'd really like to hear from you. Your experiences will help shape services designed to make accessing care quicker, easier and more consistent for everyone.
The survey is open until Friday 4 September 2026.
To complete the survey visit: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/Pharmacy1st/
Anyone who would prefer to share their experience by phone, needs support to complete the survey or requires it in another format can contact Healthwatch on 0116 257 4999 or email enquiries@healthwatchll.com.
