Patients would be supportive of an expansion to the Pharmacy First service, according to research by Healthwatch England.
In a poll of over 7,000 adults in England, 86 per cent of those who sought help for common conditions reported a positive experience, with patients praising the speed, convenience and expertise of pharmacists
Over six in ten people supported expanding Pharmacy First saying they use a pharmacy for skin problems, eye infections and asthma.
“It is great to see further positive feedback from the public, showing how much they value services such as Pharmacy First,” said Alastair Buxton, Director of NHS Services at Community Pharmacy England (CPE).
“Ahead of the publication of the NHS 10 Year Plan, it is also good to see public support for the extension of the service, which we hope will be a part of the Government’s plans.”
However, the research also highlighted the continued disruption to medicines supplies that pharmacies face.
Nearly one in four respondents said they had been unable to get the medicines they needed in the past year due to shortages, with the figure unchanged from 2023.
In total, 45 per cent of people reported experiencing problems when accessing their medication, including delays, errors and unexpected closures.
In the past year alone, the government has issued Serious Shortage Protocols for key medicines used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and angina, as well as HRT, antibiotics such as cefalexin and clarithromycin, and medicines for cardiovascular disease and Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy.
There are ongoing shortages and disruption of medicines used for the treatment of ADHD, diabetes and epilepsy.
“On medicines shortages, these findings confirm what pharmacy teams are experiencing every day, as outlined in Community Pharmacy England’s Medicines Supply Report,” said Buxton.
“Patients trust and rely on their local pharmacy, but ongoing supply issues are making it harder to deliver the care people need. Pharmacies are going above and beyond to help, but they need urgent support to manage these pressures.
“A sustainable funding model is essential to ensure pharmacies can continue to meet growing demand and deliver the care their communities depend on.”
