Community pharmacies across England can begin treating five additional everyday conditions from this autumn under a major expansion of the NHS Pharmacy First scheme announced Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
Announcing the update on social media, Burnham shared a message reflecting on the everyday frustrations patients encounter when trying to access primary care.
He shared: “We’ve all been there. You wake up feeling unwell, try to get an appointment, and before you know it half the day has disappeared.
When you're sick, the last thing you should be worrying about is how you’re going to get the help you need.”
“That's why we're expanding Pharmacy First.”
He stressed that this update would make it easier for people who want to see a GP, to do so earlier on.
NHS pressure
Burnham also touched upon the workload experienced by the NHS workforce.
He said: “I know how hard our NHS works, how much pressure staff are under and how tough it can be for people to access the care they need from my time as Health Secretary. And I know things have only got tougher in the last 15 years.”
As Mayor of Greater Manchester, he said, he also witnessed how important the frontline workers are and how they deserve more “firepower”.
He concluded: “Every place and every person matters. So, we’ll make sure people can get the care they need, where they need it. That’s what this is all about.”
Public reaction
Comments on the post on Facebook reflected support for the movement as well as the acknowledgment of pharmacists by the general public.
“Pharmacists are highly qualified and more than capable of prescribing antibiotics etc. Most EU countries allow you to walk into a pharmacy and be prescribed antibiotics or other meds, so why not here too?”
Some people were suggesting blood tests to be included in Pharmacy First along with other conditions.
One commenter said: “About time! Pharmacists are highly qualified and more than capable of prescribing antibiotics etc. Most EU countries allow you to walk in to a pharmacy and be prescribed antibiotics or other meds, so why not here too?”
And another added: “I've seen how much pharmacists have to learn before they qualify - they are more than capable of this. Great idea!”
One lady said: “I've used Pharmacy First a number of times for small issues such as contraception prescription renewal and assessing/diagnosing both ear infections and tonsillitis. Being able to pop in while doing my shopping has been massively convenient and I'm glad to free up GP/Urgent Care for more serious cases.”
But pharmacists also said they were struggling because reimbursement prices of medication are often less than the cost that pharmacies are able to buy them. Another said that there was a problem in recruiting and retaining pharmacists.
One member of the public commented: “There are certainly benefits from this but some pharmacists I’ve encountered need much more training in ‘bedside manner’ and effective communication.”
