Providing support for patients diagnosed with a long term condition who have a newly prescribed medicine. To help improve your adherence and your understanding of the medicine generally leading to better health outcomes.
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To help us provide the most useful support, please have details of your newly prescribed medicine available.
It may also be helpful to have:
Your new medicine or its packaging
Details of any other medicines you're taking
Information about any allergies
Any questions or concerns you'd like to discuss
Don't worry if you're unsure whether your medicine qualifies for the service — our pharmacy team can check your eligibility.
Free NHS service for eligible patients
Personalised support when starting a new medicine
Professional advice from your pharmacist
Help understanding how and when to take your medicine
Support with side effects or other concerns
Follow-up support during the first few weeks
Referral back to your prescriber where appropriate
Professional and confidential consultations
The New Medicine Service is a free NHS service for eligible patients who have recently been prescribed a qualifying new medicine for an eligible health condition.
Not every newly prescribed medicine is covered by the NHS New Medicine Service. Our pharmacy team will confirm your eligibility before providing the service.
The service is designed to support you with your newly prescribed treatment and does not replace appointments or clinical reviews with your GP, specialist or other healthcare professional.
If you experience problems with your new medicine, do not stop taking it or change your dose without speaking to an appropriate healthcare professional, unless you've been given specific instructions to do so.
The New Medicine Service normally involves three conversations with your pharmacist over the first few weeks after starting your medicine.
When you receive your new medicine, we'll explain how to take or use it correctly and introduce you to the New Medicine Service.
Your pharmacist will speak with you after you've had some time to use your new medicine. You'll be able to discuss how you're getting on, any side effects or concerns, and any difficulties you've experienced.
We'll check your progress again, answer any further questions and help make sure you're comfortable and confident continuing with your treatment.
Where necessary, your pharmacist may contact or refer you back to your prescriber if an issue with your medicine needs further review.
Have you recently started a new medicine? Our NHS New Medicine Service (NMS) provides free, personalised support to help you understand your new treatment and use your medicine safely and effectively.
Our pharmacist will give you an opportunity to discuss how you're getting on with your new medicine, ask questions and raise any concerns you may have.
The service provides support over the first few weeks after starting your medicine, helping you feel more confident about your treatment and identify any problems early.
The New Medicine Service is free for eligible NHS patients.
You may be eligible for the free NHS New Medicine Service if you've recently been prescribed an eligible new medicine for one of the following conditions:
Acute coronary syndromes
Asthma
Atrial fibrillation
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Coronary heart disease
Depression (for patients aged 18 and over)
Type 2 diabetes
Epilepsy
Glaucoma
Gout
Heart failure
High cholesterol (hypercholesterolaemia)
High blood pressure (hypertension)
Long-term risk of venous thromboembolism or embolism
Osteoporosis
Parkinson's disease
Stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
Urinary incontinence or urinary retention
Eligibility depends on both your condition and the new medicine you've been prescribed.
If you're unsure whether your medicine qualifies, don't worry — our pharmacy team can check your eligibility and let you know whether you can receive support through the NHS New Medicine Service.
Starting a new medicine can sometimes raise questions or concerns. During the service, our pharmacist can help you with:
Understanding what your new medicine is for
How and when to take or use it
Using your medicine correctly
Managing possible side effects
Concerns about your new treatment
Difficulties remembering or taking your medicine
Understanding how your medicine fits into your treatment
Healthy lifestyle changes that may support your condition
It's also an opportunity to ask questions that you may not have had the chance to discuss when your medicine was first prescribed.