Healthwatch report highlights benefits and awareness gaps in Pharmacy First

Report - 26 May 2026

A new report from Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham has found that residents who use the NHS Pharmacy First service are largely positive about their experiences, with many praising the speed, convenience, and quality of care received at local pharmacies.

The report combines feedback from 154 residents with mystery shopping visits to 18 pharmacies across Barking and Dagenham. It found that more than 80% of service users were satisfied with the care they received, and 80% said their symptoms or concerns were resolved following their pharmacy visit.

Mystery shoppers found that pharmacies were generally able to offer walk-in consultations, private consultation rooms, and treatment for common conditions such as sore throats, ear infections, and urinary tract infections. However, the report also identified inconsistencies in how the service is promoted, with some pharmacies lacking visible information, posters, or leaflets about Pharmacy First.

Almost half of survey respondents said they had never heard of the service, leading Healthwatch to call for stronger public awareness campaigns, clearer in-pharmacy promotion, and better signposting from GP surgeries and NHS services.

The report also includes a response from Community Pharmacy North East London, which said it would work with pharmacies across Barking and Dagenham to improve promotion and awareness of the service.

 

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