Advanced Services
Medicines use review (MUR) and prescription intervention service |
The MUR service is a structured review of a patient’s use of their medicines which aims to improve the patient’s knowledge, understanding and use of their medicines. It supports patients to gain the maximum benefit from their prescribed medicines by taking them safely and effectively. The service consists of a single consultation, which usually takes place at the community pharmacy. Before receiving the service, the patient will be asked to sign a form to confirm that they consent to participate in the service, and for information to be shared with their GP as necessary. It will involve a discussion between the patient and the pharmacist covering all medicines they are taking (including non-prescribed medicines), checking and supporting adherence, identifying and taking steps to resolve any problems, and answering any questions the patient has about their medicines. The patient may also be given healthy living advice and/or be signposted to other services if appropriate. At least 70% of all MURs undertaken by each pharmacy must be for patients who fall within one or more of the national target groups. These groups are:
NOTE: The community pharmacy framework contract, which was published on 22 July 2019 jointly by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS England and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) revealed that medicines use reviews (MURs) will be phased out over the next two years This Service will be decommissioned from 31st March 2021. More info can be found here. |
Stoma appliance customisation service Appliance use review service |
These two services were introduced in April 2010 and they can be provided by both community pharmacy contractors and dispensing appliance contractors. Appliance Use Reviews (AURs) can be carried out by a pharmacist or a specialist nurse in the pharmacy or at the patient’s home. AURs aim to improve the patient’s knowledge and use of their appliances. |
New medicine service (NMS) |
The NMS was introduced in October 2011 and is designed to support patients who have been newly prescribed a medicine for a long-term condition. Four conditions/therapy areas are included in the service:
The service is split into three stages:
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Flu vaccination service | Community pharmacists have been able to administer NHS flu vaccinations as an Advanced Service since September 2015, although many were providing this service before as a locally commissioned or private service. Community pharmacists can vaccinate all people aged 65 years and over and people aged from 18 to 64 years of age in clinical risk groups. Community pharmacists can also vaccinate patients in their own homes and at long-stay residential care homes or other long-stay care facilities. |
Community pharmacist consultation service (CPCS)**NEW**AUTUMN 2019 to replace NHS Urgent medical supply advanced service (NUMSAS). Read more
GP CPCS
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In line with the ambitions set out in the NHS Long Term Plan, this service is expected to relieve pressure on urgent and emergency care, by referring patients to a consultation with a community pharmacist where otherwise they would have attended a GP out of hours appointment or A+E having run out of regular medicines or requiring support with low acuity/
From 1st November 2020, the CPCS was extended across England to include referrals from general practices as well as from NHS 111. More info can be found here. |
Hep C Testing Service |
The Community Pharmacy Hepatitis C Antibody Testing Service was added to the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) in 2020, commencing on 1st September. The introduction of this new Advanced Service was originally trailed in the 5-year CPCF agreement, but its planned introduction in April 2020 was delayed by five months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The service is focused on provision of point of care testing (POCT) for Hepatitis C (Hep C) antibodies to people who inject drugs (PWIDs), i.e. individuals who inject illicit drugs, e.g. steroids or heroin, but who haven’t yet moved to the point of accepting treatment for their substance use. Where people test positive for Hep C antibodies, they will be referred for a confirmatory test and treatment, where appropriate. Local useful information to provide the service can be found here. |
For more information
- See Advanced Service Specification – NHS Community Pharmacist Consultation Service.
- Note: the LPCs along with NHSE&I have populated Appendix C of the SOP for Surrey and Sussex. It is available on request from lpc@communitypharmacyss.co.uk
- See Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework 2019-2024 (NHS England)
- See Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework 2019-2020 (PSNC)
- Contact us at lpc@communitypharmacyss.co.uk