The New Medicine Service is a free NHS service, offered through Hey Pharmacist, to help you understand your condition and get the most out of your new medicine
If you're eligible for the service, you'll be contacted via email.
How does the service work?
Stage 1 – Booking your first phone call with the pharmacist
We receive your prescription from the GP surgery, which is clinically checked by our pharmacists. If it’s a new medicine to treat one of the NHS approved conditions, we’ll send you an email to book a telephone call with a pharmacist, at a date and time that suits you. This would take place within 7-14 days.
Stage 2 – Your consultation with the pharmacist
The pharmacist will call you on the number you provided at the time you made the booking.
The pharmacist will ask you questions about how you’re getting on with your new medicine, find out if you’re having any problems and give you any information and support you need. You may have concerns or questions that you want to ask. You can ask anything at all about your new medicine.
Stage 3 – Your follow-up consultation with the pharmacist
We’ll send an email to you to book a follow-up telephone call with a pharmacist, at a date and time that suits you. This would take place within 14-21 days of stage 2 being completed.
You’ll be able to talk about how things are going with your medicine and ask for more advice if you need it.
Who is the service for?
The service is for people who have received their first prescription for a medicine to treat one of a range of conditions which have been chosen by the NHS.
How will it help me?
Between 30% and 50% of prescribed medicines are not taken as recommended. This means that a lot of medicines are wasted or are not as effective as they could be.
The service will:
help you to find out more about the new medicine you are taking
help to sort out any problems you are having with your new medicine
give you a chance to ask questions about your medicine and discuss any concerns
help to improve the effectiveness of your new medicine, for example, there may be an easier or better way to take it
help you to make your own decisions about managing your condition
help you to improve your health, which could lead to fewer GP and hospital visits.
The New Medicine Service will help provide better value for you and the NHS by making sure that your medicines are right for you.