Services Database Community Pharmacy Walk-in Consultation Service (WICS)

To make an additional 15,000 high quality, structured, face to face appointments with a registered pharmacist available to patients in Cornwall. These consultations are strictly for patients presenting with the symptoms of a minor illness and will take place in the professional environment of a private pharmacy consultation room.

In light of the recent guidance on improving access to Primary Care, it is recognised that PF is a core service offering, which supports general practice in reducing the pressure from minor illness and conditions, which in turn increases the opportunity for clinicians to treat and care for higher
acuity and urgent conditions. The uptake of this service by GP practices has been minimal across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to date.

It is proposed that in addition to the national model PF, that community pharmacies also offer a limited number of PF-style face to face consultations (in the pharmacy private consultation room) into which patients may self-refer. Self-referral does not require patient interaction with the GP practice or 111 and subsequent demand on this finite resource. These consultations will be in addition to (and complimentary to) the existing national PF referral pathways.