NHS New Medicine Service

The NHS New Medicine Service (NMS) is a free consultation service that helps you manage a newly prescribed medication for an eligible long-term condition. Through remote video consultations with NowPatient, you can ask questions, resolve problems, and get personalised support — without visiting your GP.

Research shows that 30–50% of prescribed medicines are not taken as recommended, which means medications are often wasted or less effective than they could be. The NMS is designed to improve adherence, help you understand your medicine, and support you in making informed decisions about your care.

The service is completely free. It is funded by the NHS and you will not be charged for any consultations.

No. The service is commissioned by NHS England and is only available to patients in England. It is not available in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, or outside the UK.

You may be eligible if you are registered with the NHS in England and have been prescribed a new medication for an eligible long-term condition. The service covers 21 conditions including asthma, COPD, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, epilepsy, depression, and others.

No. You can use the NHS New Medicine Service even if your prescriptions are dispensed elsewhere. NowPatient is also working to allow GPs in England to refer patients directly to the virtual service.

Eligible conditions include asthma, COPD, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, osteoporosis, gout, glaucoma, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, urinary incontinence, urinary retention, heart failure, acute coronary syndrome, atrial fibrillation, venous thromboembolism (VTE), embolism, stroke/TIA, coronary heart disease, heart attack, and depression.

You can check eligibility yourself using the self-check feature on the NHS New Medicine Service Card in the ‘NHS Hub’ on your account homepage. Alternatively, if NowPatient dispenses a qualifying new medication for you, we will automatically send you a notification inviting you to take part.

The service involves up to two remote video consultations. The first (intervention) consultation assesses how you are getting on with your new medicine. A follow-up consultation may be arranged 14–21 days later if your clinician recommends it. In some cases, only one consultation is needed.

The first consultation usually lasts around 10 minutes. Your clinician will assess your adherence, identify any problems, provide advice, and agree on next steps with you.

It depends on the nature of the problem. If the issue can be resolved with simple adjustments (such as reminder charts or changes to how you take the medicine), the clinician will agree on steps with you and book a follow-up. If the clinician judges that your prescriber needs to intervene, you will be referred and the service is complete.

Your clinician will tell you during the first consultation. If a follow-up is recommended, you will receive an in-app and push notification immediately afterwards with a link to book. Aim to schedule it 14–21 days after your first consultation.

The clinician reassesses your adherence and checks for new or ongoing issues. There are three outcomes: you are adhering well (service complete), a problem is identified and a solution is agreed (service complete), or you are referred to your doctor for review (service complete).

There are two paths. For self-check, go to the NHS New Medicine Service Card in the NHS Hub, select ‘Check Eligibility’, and complete the AI chatbot screening. If eligible, click ‘Book Consultation’. For automatic notifications, open the invitation from ‘Notifications’ on your homepage and click ‘Book Consultation’.

Plan to book 7–14 days from the point you start taking your new medication. This gives you enough time to experience the medicine before discussing it with your clinician.

Yes. During booking, you can browse available clinicians and filter by gender and spoken languages. You can view each clinician’s name, licence number, and credentials before selecting.

Yes. You can opt in to receive an SMS reminder 30 minutes before your scheduled video consultation. You will also provide your consultation address and emergency contact details during the booking process.

Our clinicians are board-certified pharmacists registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). All clinicians undergo DBS background checks and a comprehensive licence verification process. The conditions and medications they can advise on are strictly governed and reviewed in line with NHS guidelines.

Yes. The service is classified as a Class I medical device under UK MDR 2002 regulations. It complies with NHS standards DTAC, DCB 0160, and DCB 0129. Consultations are delivered via live video to ensure clinical safety and appropriate prescribing.

Yes. NowPatient operates from a HIPAA, DTAC, and Cyber Essentials Plus certified platform that ensures the highest levels of information security. Clinicians access systems on a zero-trust basis with single sign-on (SSO) technology.

Yes. As an NHS patient, our clinicians can access your GP record, including your medications, observations, and investigations. This helps them assess your medications and conditions safely and accurately.

Read the leaflet that comes with your new medicine, write down any questions or concerns, and have your medicine to hand during the video call. This helps you and your clinician make the most of your time together.

You will receive a notification summarising the outcome, including any referrals to your doctor and advice given. You may also receive a short survey — we encourage you to complete it, as your feedback helps us improve the service.

Yes. During the consultation, we will ask for your consent to provide the service. This allows us to communicate with your GP and share information with NHS England, NHS Improvement, and the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) when required.

Yes. As an NHS patient, our clinicians can access your GP record, including medications, observations, and investigations. This ensures they can assess you appropriately and provide safe, relevant advice.

Yes. The service is classified as a Class I medical device under UK MDR 2002 regulations. It complies with NHS standards DTAC, DCB 0160, and DCB 0129.

Yes. NowPatient operates from a HIPAA, DTAC, and Cyber Essentials Plus certified platform that ensures the highest levels of information security. Clinicians access systems on a zero-trust basis with single sign-on (SSO) technology.