What is the New Medicine Service?
The New Medicine Service is a free NHS service, offered through your pharmacy, to help you understand your condition and get the most out of your new medicine.
Who is it 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. These conditions are:
- asthma
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- type 2 diabetes
- high blood pressure
- high cholesterol
- osteoporosis
- gout
- glaucoma
- epilepsy
- Parkinson’s disease
- urinary incontinence or retention
- heart failure
- coronary heart disease
- atrial fibrillation
- unstable angina or heart attack
- stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
- long-term risk of blood clots or blocked blood vessels, including DVT (deep vein thrombosis)
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 have been prescribed
- 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.
How does the service work?
When you pick up your new prescription at a pharmacy, ask the pharmacist if you can take part in the new medicine service.
You’ll have 3 appointments with the pharmacist over several weeks. The appointments can take place over the phone or in the pharmacy’s private consultation area.
At these appointments, you can discuss concerns or issues with the pharmacist, and they can help you with any problems linked to your medicine. If needed, the pharmacist can refer you back to your doctor.
