New Medicine Service

When to book the New Medicine Service

Book the NHS New Medicine Service (NMS) if you have just been prescribed a new medicine for a long-term condition and you are unsure how to take it, worried about side effects, or not certain it is working.

The service is free and is aimed at people who have started a new medicine for:

• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Type 2 diabetes
• Asthma or COPD
• High cholesterol
• Anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy

If you collect a qualifying prescription from Allied Pharmacies, you are eligible. Our pharmacist will tell you when you pick it up.

What is the New Medicine Service?

The New Medicine Service is an NHS-funded programme of short consultations with your pharmacist over the first few weeks of a new medicine. The NHS reports that it improves understanding of medication, increases adherence and leads to better health outcomes.

How the New Medicine Service works

• Initial consultation (day 7 to 14) - your pharmacist checks how you are getting on, discusses side effects and makes sure you are taking the medicine correctly. Face to face or by phone.
• Follow-up (day 14 to 21) - a review of your progress, whether the medicine is helping and how to manage any side effects.
• Final review (day 21 to 28) - a last check that you are confident to continue, with a referral to your GP if anything needs following up.

Benefits of the New Medicine Service

• A clear understanding of what your medicine does and how to take it
• Early help with side effects, the most common reason people stop treatment
• Better adherence and improved health outcomes
• Direct access to a pharmacist who knows your situation
• Lower risk of hospital admission linked to medication problems

Around half of all patients with a chronic condition do not take their medicines as directed. Regular contact during the first few weeks is the simplest way to change that, whether that means setting reminders, choosing the best time of day, or knowing which foods and drinks to avoid.

Why choose Allied Pharmacies?

• Automatic enrolment when you collect a qualifying prescription
• Face to face or telephone consultations to suit you
• Private consultation rooms for confidential advice
• Free of charge and fully NHS funded
• Experienced pharmacists on convenient high street locations

Find the New Medicine Service near you

No separate registration is needed. Use the postcode search above to find your nearest Allied Pharmacy, or speak to our team next time you collect your prescription.