Ask Your Pharmacist week has launched with a series of free campaign materials available to pharmacies to promote the care and services they provide. 

The campaign is run annually by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), with this year’s theme titled ‘Ask Your Pharmacist: NHS Services Close to Home’. 

Patients unaware of pharmacy services 

It comes as new research by Brand Champions revealed that “87% of community pharmacies believe fewer than half of their patients are aware of the full range of healthcare services they offer”, while 44% of survey respondents said that “very few patients knew about services beyond prescription dispensing”. 

The campaign aims to build public understanding and support for community pharmacies, increase the uptake of their services and reduce the inappropriate use of other healthcare providers. 

 Read more: ‘A better Britain’: PM hails five new Pharmacy First conditions 

To mark the occasion, the NPA is providing free posters, social media templates and advice on how to invite dignitaries into branches. 

The NPA has also commissioned consumer research into “public awareness of current pharmacy services and public support for expanding the range of NHS services in the future”, the results of which they plan to unveil this week. 

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It comes after Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced five new condition: acne, migraines, scabies, ear infections and rhinitis, that will be added to Pharmacy First in the 2026/27 pharmacy contract. 

And it follows the NPA’s vice chair Sukhi Basra urging community pharmacies to “do their due diligence” when deciding whether to implement independent prescribing, stating that they “do not have the same support network as GPs”.