Residents across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are being encouraged to share their experiences of using local community pharmacies for common health issues.
NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight is now inviting residents to complete a short survey about how they use their local pharmacy for minor illnesses to help shape how local pharmacy services work.
Between October 2025 and January 2026, around 40,000 people across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have used the Pharmacy First service for advice and treatment.
Community pharmacists are highly trained healthcare professionals who provide expert advice and treatment for a range of minor illnesses, from coughs and colds to insect bites and minor skin issues and offer prescription medication for seven common conditions, without the need to see a GP.
Neil Hardy, Chief Pharmacist at NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, said:
“Community pharmacies play a vital role in providing accessible care close to home. To help strengthen and improve these services further, we are inviting residents to complete a short online survey about how they use their local pharmacy for minor illnesses and their awareness of the advice and treatments available.
Around 10,000 patients each month are choosing Pharmacy First as their first point of contact for advice and treatment, helping to ease pressure on GP practices and urgent care services.
James Roach, Director of Primary Care and Local Care at NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, said:
“Community pharmacies are the most accessible part of our NHS and remain at the heart of local communities and the high street. We are committed to evolving this model as part of a modern, integrated Primary Care system that makes it easier for people to get the right care, in the right place, at the right time.”
Residents can take the survey at https://survey.ntropydata.co.uk/surveys/DP26Pharmfirst.
Personally I preferred the old NHS that worked.
Nowdays it takes at least 40 minutes for doctors
surgeries to answer the telephone.
111 is useless and 999 make it difficult should some
one need Ambulance.
The old world worked, same with most Government services
nowdays. 3rd class.
Taxes keep going up and services keep going down.
I recall standing in Boots in Newport, a busy pharmacy, and I was waiting for counter service directky next to the lengthy queue waiting to consult the pharmacist.
There was no privacy, I and others close by could hear what was being discussed.
Without exception, no matter what the issue, the pharmacists direction to each person was to ‘go home and dial 111’.
A complete waste of time for everyone who did as directed and ‘consulted’ the pharmacist. Worse, I could see one lady who had serious cellulitis and ought to have been sent directly to A& E.
I am assuming pharmacists record the number of people ‘consulting’ them, and receive a fee from the NHS for it.
I am assuming these numbers add to the statistics of how many people are being given ‘advice’.
All I can say is what a waste of everyone’s time.