Starting a new medicine can raise questions. What does it do? When should I take it? What side effects should I expect? Will it interact with anything I already take? The New Medicine Service (NMS) is an NHS-funded programme that gives patients structured support from their pharmacist during the first month of a new prescription.
What is the NMS?
The New Medicine Service provides three contacts between the patient and pharmacist over 28 days, timed to catch problems early:
Contact 1 — Intervention (day 7-14). About a week after you start the new medicine, the pharmacist checks in. This can be in person, by phone, or by video. They ask how you are getting on: are you taking it as prescribed? Any side effects? Do you understand what the medicine is for?
Contact 2 — Follow-up (day 21-28). Around three weeks later, the pharmacist checks in again. By now, you've had enough time to experience any common side effects and settle into a routine. The pharmacist assesses whether you're still taking the medicine, addresses any concerns, and offers practical advice.
Contact 3 — Outcome recording. The pharmacist records whether you are continuing with the medicine, whether any issues were identified, and whether a referral to the GP was necessary.
If at any point the pharmacist identifies a problem — a side effect that needs clinical review, a possible interaction, or a reason you've stopped taking the medicine — they will refer back to your GP with a recommendation.
Which medicines qualify?
The NMS covers medicines prescribed for the first time in specific therapeutic areas. These include:
| Therapeutic area | Example medicines |
|---|---|
| Asthma and COPD | Inhalers (beclometasone, salbutamol, tiotropium) |
| Type 2 diabetes | Metformin, gliclazide, SGLT2 inhibitors |
| Hypertension | Amlodipine, ramipril, losartan |
| Hypercholesterolaemia | Statins (atorvastatin, rosuvastatin) |
| Anticoagulation/antiplatelet | Warfarin, DOACs (apixaban, rivarelbaan), clopidogrel |
| Osteoporosis | Alendronic acid, risedronate |
| Epilepsy | Levetiracetam, lamotrigine, sodium valproate |
| Gout | Allopurinol |
| Glaucoma | Eye drops (latanoprost, timolol) |
| Urinary incontinence | Solifenacin, mirabegron |
| Parkinson's disease | Levodopa combinations, ropinirole |
The common thread is long-term conditions where early non-adherence has significant consequences — stopping a statin or blood pressure medicine within the first month is common and preventable with the right support.
Why the NMS matters
Research published in the BMJ found that the NMS significantly improved adherence to new medicines. Patients who received the service were more likely to still be taking their medicine at 10 weeks compared to those who received standard care.
The first month is the critical window. Studies consistently show that if a patient is still taking a medicine after 30 days, they are much more likely to continue long-term. Conversely, the majority of patients who abandon a new medicine do so within the first few weeks — often because of manageable side effects, misunderstanding about the medicine's purpose, or practical difficulties with the dosing schedule.
The NMS gives pharmacists a structured opportunity to intervene before abandonment becomes permanent.
What to expect as a patient
If your new prescription qualifies for NMS, your pharmacist will explain the service when you first collect the medicine. You do not need to opt in — the pharmacist will simply tell you they will be in touch in about a week.
The follow-up contacts are brief — typically 5 to 10 minutes. You can choose whether to return to the pharmacy in person or receive a phone call. Some pharmacies also offer video consultations.
You should:
- Mention any side effects, even minor ones — the pharmacist can often suggest timing or dosing adjustments that help
- Be honest if you've missed doses or stopped taking the medicine
- Ask questions — this is protected time with a qualified pharmacist, use it
- Bring the medicine packaging if visiting in person, so the pharmacist can confirm you're taking the right product
The NMS and pharmacy revenue
For pharmacy professionals and operators, the NMS represents a meaningful revenue stream. The NHS pays pharmacies £31.82 for each completed NMS episode (all three contacts delivered). According to PharmSee's analysis of NHS England dispensing data, community pharmacies generate revenue from a combination of dispensing fees, service fees (including NMS), and enhanced service payments.
The NMS also supports pharmacy workload planning — each completed episode requires approximately 20-25 minutes of pharmacist time across the three contacts, but the clinical value and patient retention benefits are substantial.
How to find a pharmacy offering NMS
All community pharmacies commissioned under the NHS Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework are eligible to provide NMS. In practice, this means the vast majority of England's 13,000+ pharmacies. The service is free to the patient as part of the NHS contract.
To find pharmacies near you, use PharmSee's pharmacy search. For information about how pharmacies earn NHS revenue or to explore pharmacy job opportunities, visit PharmSee Jobs.
Sources: NHS England Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework — New Medicine Service specification; Elliott RA et al., BMJ (2016), NMS evaluation; Royal Pharmaceutical Society. This article provides general information and does not constitute medical advice. Speak to your pharmacist about your individual medicines.