Helping customers who are ineligible for Pharmacy First

Some Pharmacy First interactions will leave pharmacy teams having to deal with customers who are ineligible for the service, and this could result in patients who are short-tempered or rude – most likely because they are unwell, frustrated or in pain. The best way to approach these situations is in a calm, polite, yet assertive way, with the aim of trying to ensure customers leave feeling satisfied that they have still been helped as best as possible, with a positive view of the pharmacy and a good reason to want to return.

For example, if the patient is not within the age range for the service, pharmacy staff can explain that the pharmacist will refer them to another healthcare professional and can also give general self care advice and/or suggest treatments they can buy over the counter if appropriate. Pharmacy teams can also use the ‘WWHAM’ protocol to assess the customer’s needs and ensure the appropriate sale of any OTC medicine safely, by asking the patient:

• Who is it for?
• What are the symptoms?
• How long have you had them?
• Action already taken?
• Medicines you are already taking for this and other conditions? 

Sometimes pharmacy teams may encounter a customer who wants to buy a medicine for a condition for which it is not supposed to be used – called ‘outside its licensed indication’ – or  who appears to be misusing a product. Staff in any doubt, or with cause to refuse a sale, should bring this to the attention of the supervising pharmacist. Unhappy customers can come across as much more hostile than they actually feel. Listen carefully to what they have to say and politely and calmly try to resolve their problem, or ask the supervising pharmacist to help. The pharmacy’s SOPs will explain how best to deal with tough interactions, so teams should familiarise themselves with what is expected. 

In the rare event that a customer wants to make a formal complaint about a staff member or the pharmacy, it may involve them simply speaking to the supervising pharmacist or perhaps writing to head office, if there is one. Remember that patients should always be offered the opportunity to register a formal complaint using the NHS process: cpe.org.uk/quality-and-regulations/ clinical-governance/.