Help shape the future of local pharmacy services
In a recent survey by NHS England, 86.8% of people reported a good overall experience of their local pharmacy across England. Locally, there was less satisfaction. 51% of people in Humber and North Yorkshire (not including Craven) and 49% of people across West Yorkshire and Craven reported a good overall experience of their local pharmacy.
NHS England would now like to dig a little deeper into understanding people's experiences - good or bad, happy or sad.
Sharing your views of pharmacies
We're organising online focus groups to hear about your experiences with clinical services at your local pharmacy (sometimes called a chemist or community pharmacy). This focus group is open to everyone across England -whether you used these services or decided not to, your feedback is valuable.
A focus group is a small, guided discussion where people share their opinions on a specific topic - in this case, the clinical services offered by pharmacies. A moderator from our team will lead the conversation, and your input will help us improve these services in the future.
What are clinical services? They include things like providing you with extra help to manage long-term conditions, advice for those on multiple medicines, as well as better access to health checks. The role is pivotal to improving the quality of care and ensuring patient safety.
Getting involved
If you're interested in participating, we'll first ask a few questions to check if you're eligible. If you qualify, we'll select a diverse group of participants and invite you to join a 90-minute online session with 5 - 6 others. As a thank you, you'll receive a £25 high-street voucher after the focus group.
Before the session, you'll be asked to complete a short survey about your recent experiences with pharmacy services, which can be done online, by post, or by phone. Not everyone who completes the initial screening will be selected, but those who are will help us make meaningful improvements to these services.
