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Efi Mantzourani,1,2 Ricky Hicks,1 Andrew Evans,3 Emma Williams,2 Cheryl Way,2 Rhian Deslandes1 1School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK; 2NHS Wales Informatics Service, Primary Care Services, Cardiff, Wales, UK; 3Welsh Government, Health and Social Services, Cardiff, Wales, UKCorrespondence: Efi MantzouraniNHS Wales Informatics Service, Cowbridge Road, Cardiff, UK and School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Redwood Building, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3NB, UKTel +44 29 20 870 452Email MantzouraniE1@cardiff.ac.ukObjectives: To explore the views and opinions of community pharmacists regarding their initial experience of and levels of preparedness for the pathfinder sore throat test and treat (STTT) service in Wales.Methods: A phenomenological qualitative approach with constructivist paradigm was adopted as the first cycle of ongoing action research. Semi-structured interviews with community pharmacists who had completed at least three consultations within the first 3 weeks of the service were conducted, with informed consent and audio recorded. Interviews were transcribed ad verbatim and data were thematically analysed both inductively and deductively.Results: A total of seven interviews with pharmacists who had conducted more than three consultations identified three main themes: 1) perceived impact of the service on patient care, including the value of the structure and technology infrastructure, the role of STTT towards antimicrobial stewardship, and its potential role in rebalancing primary care resources so that workload is distributed appropriately among healthcare professionals; 2) factors that empower pharmacists to deliver the service, in particular quality and consistency of training, appropriate staffing resource and internally motivated willingness to engage; 3) interface with GP surgeries such as nature of existing relationships before implementing the service, role of GP staff and GP perceived value of STTT.Conclusion: The pathfinder STTT service has been well received by pharmacists who recognised the service’s role in providing patient education and contributing to principles of antimicrobial stewardship and described factors that would empower them to deliver the service confidently. Results have been fed back to the service implementation team to inform future developments.Keywords: sore throat test and treat, point-of-care testing, community pharmacy, antimicrobial stewardship, pharmacy services

Background: A pilot of the first NHS funded Sore Throat Test and Treat (STTT) service in the United Kingdom began in selected community pharmacies in Wales in November 2018. The aim of this research was to explore whether a pharmacist delivering consultation for sore throat that included clinical scoring and point-of-care testing was acceptable to patients and how this might influence future health-seeking behaviour.Methods: A non-experimental design was employed using a survey research tool including a mix of closed and open questions. The patient experience survey was distributed to all patients who had completed a consultation between November 2018 and May 2019. Data from completed surveys were entered in Jisc Online Surveys® and exported to Excel® for descriptive statistics. Free-text comments were analysed using content and inductive thematic analysis.Results: A total of 510 surveys were received (n = 2,839 total consultations, response rate 18%). Overall, 501 patients (98%) were satisfied with the service. Patients' confidence in managing their condition and service satisfaction was not dependent on having been supplied antibiotics. After the service, 504 patients (99%) stated that they would return to the pharmacy for subsequent sore throat symptoms. Three themes were constructed after inductive analysis of free-text comments (n = 242): convenience and accessibility; professionalism of pharmacy team; and perceived value of the service.Conclusions: Results confirmed high levels of patient satisfaction with the new service, its delivery and the choice of options offered for sore throat symptom management. Whilst this research can only discuss patients' reported future behaviour, the patient-reported stated intentions signify a potential shift in health-seeking behaviour towards a pharmacist-led service. This has important implications in supporting the long-term plan of the governments in Wales and England to redirect management of uncomplicated conditions from GPs to pharmacies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]