Patients can treated for migraines, acne and three other everyday conditions at hundreds of pharmacies in England from autumn, following the expansion of the Pharmacy First scheme.
They can also seek treatment for scabies, ear infections, and rhinitis from participating pharmacies.
People can walk into these pharmacies at a time that fits with their everyday schedule rather than having to book an appointment with a GP.
Around four in five people in England live within a 20-minute walk of a community pharmacy, making it easier for patients to access NHS care closer to home.
Pharmacies that have a pharmacist with a prescribing qualification will be eligible to provide these services.
The prescriber can assess patients and prescribe medicines for conditions covered by the Pharmacy First service.
Evidence suggests that once it is fully rolled out 2-3 million consultations for the five conditions could take place each year in community pharmacies.
The Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) 2026/27 agreement committed to introduce a national NHS prescribing service from community pharmacy, as an extension of Pharmacy First and the pharmacy contraception service, starting from autumn 2026.
The move will also help to ease pressure on GPs and A&E departments ahead of this year's winter pressure.
NHS figures show there were more than 77,000 hospital admissions for diseases of the ear, 47,500 linked to migraines, 5,000 for vasomotor and allergic rhinitis, and 681 for scabies in 2024/25.
Thousands of pharmacies already treat seven common conditions through Pharmacy First that was launched in February 2024.
New figures show the service has delivered 14 million consultations since its launch, including two million appointments for acute sore throats, and more than 1.7 million for urinary tract infections.
Sector leaders welcome move
Community Pharmacy England Chief Executive Janet Morrison said: “Community pharmacists already play an important role in helping people to manage minor illnesses, and we welcome plans to further develop the well-received Pharmacy First service.
"The expanded offering will make better use of pharmacists’ expertise and give patients quicker access to advice and treatment for a wider range of ailments. It also paves the way for pharmacists to be core community clinicians, cementing their role in neighbourhood health services.”
National Pharmacy Association Chief Executive Henry Gregg said: "This is a really significant announcement and it is great to see patients being able to be treated for more conditions on their doorstep at their local pharmacy, without having to see a GP.
"We want to see the government turbo charge the role of pharmacies, including rolling out more prescribing services to patients on the NHS.
"In Scotland, patients can be treated for 27 different conditions at their pharmacy, with a third of the population accessing this service last year, many steps ahead of England.
"Pharmacies are still under significant financial pressures and this just shows why the Government should go much further and invest in our pharmacy network that has the power to transform people’s experience of everyday health issues."
Company Chemists’ Association Chief Executive Malcolm Harrison said: “We welcome the next phase of NHS independent prescribing in community pharmacy in England.
"Expanding to more pharmacy first conditions is an important step towards making better use of pharmacists’ clinical expertise and giving patients greater access to more convenient NHS care.
"We are particularly pleased to see that many of the conditions listed are ones where the CCA has long called for community pharmacy to play a greater role.
"However, success will depend on implementation at scale, allowing patient behaviours to change at a national level. The funding identified is likely insufficient for the wider adoption needed for change. Independent prescribing services need to be sustainable and enable enough pharmacies to take part that allows the whole workforce to evolve.
"Independent prescribing is a landmark opportunity to change how patients access care. Funding and implementation must now match that ambition and opportunity.”
No more long waits: Burnham
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: "People are fed up with the scramble for routine appointments. They want help when they need it, close to home. That's exactly what this delivers - no more taking time off work or waiting hours to get seen.
“For five more common conditions, you'll be able to walk into your local pharmacy and get treated on the spot.
“This is change families will feel in their day to day as we build a better Britain. Treating people closer to home means catching problems earlier, easing pressure on GPs and A&E, and giving people back precious time.”
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Pharmacy First is helping millions of people across the country get faster, easier care, closer to home already. Being able to go to your local pharmacy for more everyday conditions will make it easier for people across the country to get advice and care when they need it.
“Community pharmacies are vital to shifting care into the community, and this initiative makes the most of our skilled pharmacists so patients can get on-the-spot treatment. It also helps ease pressures on other parts of the NHS with early intervention.”
