FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
A little clarity.
A little reassurance.
What is planned, what remains to be confirmed, and where to find support now.
Is First Reach Clinic open for bookings?
Not yet. This is a pre-launch website. Appointments, prescribing, registration and patient accounts are not available through the site.
Is this medical care or talking therapy?
They have different roles. Medical consultations assess health concerns and treatment options. Counselling and therapy are provided by appropriately qualified therapists. Smiths Medical Group Ltd is our clinical provider. Medicines are dispensed by Jayty Ltd through Inspire Pharmacy — Ibstock, subject to independent pharmacist checks. Individual clinician profiles, therapy arrangements and service scope are being finalised. View provider details.
What can I discuss?
Our proposed pathways cover sleep and insomnia, pain assessment and support, anxiety and emotional wellbeing, alongside medicines and substance concerns and recovery. Eligibility, age limits and the conditions the clinic can safely assess are not yet confirmed.
Do I need to know exactly what is wrong?
You do not need to choose a label before seeking help. You can describe your experiences and concerns in your own words.
What may a medical assessment involve?
A clinician may review your medical history, medicines, allergies and relevant risks, verify information with records or your usual prescriber, and request further assessment or an examination. A questionnaire alone is not a substitute for appropriate clinical assessment. First Reach’s process is being finalised.
Does an appointment guarantee a prescription?
No. An appointment does not guarantee treatment or a prescription. A clinician must have enough reliable information and consider treatment appropriate and safe.
What happens if prescribing is not safe?
A prescription should not be issued where it is unsafe or where necessary information cannot be verified. Further assessment or another care pathway may be appropriate. The clinic’s escalation and referral process needs to be confirmed before launch.
What follow-up will be provided?
Smiths Medical Group Ltd is responsible for clinical follow-up. Review frequency, monitoring, contact arrangements and coordination with your GP or usual prescriber are being confirmed. These details will be available before you can book.
How much will it cost, and can I cancel?
Initial and follow-up fees, appointment lengths, any separate therapy or medicine charges, and cancellation and refund terms have not yet been confirmed. No bookings or payments are accepted on this website.
How will my information be used?
The clinic’s privacy notice, information-sharing arrangements, confidentiality limits and complaints procedure must be confirmed before a live patient system collects information. Please do not submit personal or medical information through the preview pages.
Can I attend in person?
Video consultations are the planned focus. The address, hours, accessibility and availability of face-to-face appointments are still being confirmed.
Where can I find support now?
Our Medicines support and talking therapies page links to independent services for advice, emotional support and therapy. These organisations are not confirmed First Reach partners; eligibility and costs vary.
Should I stop a medicine while I wait?
Do not stop benzodiazepines abruptly: withdrawal can be dangerous. Discuss any reduction or change with your prescriber. See WithYou’s guidance on benzodiazepine support.
What if I need emergency help?
Call 999 if someone has severe breathing difficulties, cannot be woken, is having a seizure, or there is an immediate danger to life. This website is not an emergency service.
Will you contact my GP or usual prescriber?
Sharing relevant information may be necessary for safe care. The clinic’s approved process will explain why information is needed, what is shared and the applicable consent or other lawful basis. If essential communication or monitoring cannot be arranged, prescribing may not be safe. These arrangements must be confirmed before launch.
Can a pharmacy decline to supply a prescription?
Yes. A pharmacist makes an independent assessment and may need to clarify a concern, delay supply or decline to dispense. A prescribing decision does not override that professional responsibility.
