Table 2.

The reasons provided by community pharmacists for rejecting a NHS 111 referral

Reasons for rejections (n=204, 14%)
Medication not in stock	59 (28.9)
Patient did not attend	57 (27.0)
Error in referral information entered by call handler	28 (13.7)
Clinically inappropriate to supply*	20 (9.8)
Patient received supply elsewhere	14 (6.9)
No evidence provided by the patient	6 (2.9)
Duplicate referral by NHS 111	6 (2.9)
Supplied under normal emergency supply procedure†	4 (2.0)
No reason specified	10 (4.9)

*For example, an acute medication (eg, antibiotic) or controlled drug is required by the patient. This service only allows for the supply of repeat medications and does not allow the supply of controlled drugs apart from the exceptions described above.

†The community pharmacist does not check for any notification of a referral on PharmOutcomes before undertaking the consultation with the patient and providing a medication as per the standard emergency supply regulations. Therefore no entry onto PharmOutcomes was made for remuneration.