Community Pharmacy England has announced the forthcoming launch of its annual pharmacy advice audit on June 3 in a bid to highlight the “huge amount of unpaid work” carried out by pharmacies.

CPE said it is concerned that the launch of Pharmacy First this year may have led to a “halo effect of ever more people seeking advice from community pharmacies” with some queries not covered by the funded service.

The negotiator said that with businesses “pushed to the brink,” the audit – which asks pharmacy teams to record the ‘informal’ healthcare advice they provide to patients over the course of a single day’ – will help make the case for a core funding boost as well as additional services that could potentially be commissioned in the future. 

CPE chief executive Janet Morrison said: “Since Pharmacy First was first touted, our committee thought it may have a ‘halo effect’ in driving more people to pharmacies for healthcare information and advice that does not meet the gateway criteria for a paid consultation.

“Pharmacy owners are telling us that this is already the case, so it’s critical that we measure this – and quickly.”

Ms Morrison said the data will be used to “show Government the huge amount of unpaid work pharmacy teams do for the NHS,” adding that previous audits have been quoted by MPs in Westminster debates, led to national media coverage and formed part of the business case for getting Pharmacy First commissioned. 

Urging pharmacy teams to take part, Ms Morrison said: “This invaluable evidence will greatly improve our chances of gaining traction through our campaigning and lobbying work.”