New Medicine Service (NMS)
This is an opportunity for our Pharmacist to discuss and review the medicines you are taking to ensure you are using them correctly and getting the maximum benefit.
We will explain clearly and simply, without the medical jargon, what they are for and the conditions they treat and identify any possible side effects that you may be experiencing.
We will listen to you and any problems you are having with your medicines, provide advice and support and if necessary contact your Doctor to discuss any issues that arise from our conversation.
New Medicine Service can help:
- improve your understanding of the medicines you are taking,
- highlight problematic side effects and propose solutions where appropriate
- improve adherence,
- reduce medicines wastage, usually by helping you only order the medicines you need.
Our Pharmacist may be able to conduct an NMS consultation over the phone for eligible patients.
NHS New Medicine Service
Developed to help get the most of your newly-prescribed medicine with the free NHS New Medicine Service provided by Palmers Pharmacy.
Why use the New Medicine Service?
If you've recently been prescribed a new medicine to help treat a long-term health condition you may have questions about how to safely get the most out of your medicine.
Is the New Medicine Service (NMS) suitable for me?
The NHS have defined certain long-term conditions which are eligible for the service and our pharmacists may recommend this service for you.
Alternatively, if you've been prescribed a new medicine by your doctor, you can ask our pharmacist if you're eligible for the service.
How does the New Medicine Service work?
Step 1: The pharmacy team will tell you about the service when dispensing your new medicine, Speak to the pharmacy team about your new medicine and sign up to the service if eligible.
Step 2: Have a first consultation in store or over the phone with a pharmacist 7 to 14 days after getting your new medicine.
Step 3: Have a follow-up consultation
A follow-up appointment is recommended with the pharmacist 14 to 28 days later after getting your new medicine.
How will the New Medicine Service help me?
The New Medicine Service will give you the chance to find out more about your medicine and identify any problems you may be having with them.
Our pharmacists can answer any queries to help you find the easiest and most effective way of taking your new medicine.
Benefits
• Confidential: Speak to our pharmacist in a private consultation room,
• Accessible: Available at pharmacies across England.
Each consultation will usually take about 10-15 minutes, but can last longer if necessary.
NHS New Medicine Service
Research has shown that pharmacists can successfully intervene when a medicine is newly prescribed, with repeated follow up in the short term, to increase effective medicine taking for the treatment of a long-term condition.
The New Medicine Service demonstrates increased patient medicine adherence compared with normal practice, which translates into increased health gain at reduced overall cost.
The service is available to all patients, prescribed eligible new medicines, with appropriate consent and will involve carers and parents/guardians where that consent cannot be given by the patient themselves, e.g. younger children and for people who are unable to give consent but may benefit from the service.
The full-service specification is available here: Advanced Service Specification – NHS New Medicine Service (NMS).
Patient group eligible for the service
Through the New Medicine Service, community pharmacists provide support to patients and carers, helping them manage newly prescribed medicines for a long-term condition and supporting patients to make shared decisions about their care.
This service also provides an opportunity to promote lifestyle changes or other non-pharmacological interventions to enhance well-being in people with long term conditions.
The conditions eligible for the service are:
asthma and COPD
diabetes (Type 2)
hypertension
hypercholesterolaemia
osteoporosis
gout
glaucoma
epilepsy
Parkinson’s disease
urinary incontinence/retention
heart failure
acute coronary syndromes
atrial fibrillation
long term risks of venous thromboembolism/embolism
stroke/transient ischemic attack
coronary heart disease
Support for pharmacists providing the NHS New Medicines Service