NHS prescriptions for illnesses including ear infections and sore throats can now be issued under Pharmacy First scheme

Patients suffering from common illnesses including earache, sinusitis and a sore throat may be able to get treatment and prescription-only medicines from pharmacies from today (Wednesday January 31) – without the need for a doctor’s appointment.

The NHS Pharmacy First service believes it will be able to save up to 10 million general practice (GP) appointments a year by offering adults and children quicker and more convenient care for some complaints.

Seven common ailments, identified by the NHS, can now be treated by pharmacies signed up to the scheme, who will be able to examine patients and supply any required medicine.

The health service says more than 10,000 pharmacies have registered to be involved so far – including 1,400 in Boots stores and Stansted Surgery – with further expansion expected as the scheme gets under way from this week.

The initiative also builds on growing pharmacy involvement in patient care, where many branches already offer blood pressure checks and contraception services, says the Department of Health and Social Care.

Ear infections, infected insect bites, skin condition impetigo, shingles and sore throats are among the issues for which patients will be able to see a participating pharmacist. Women will also be able to seek help and treatment for ‘uncomplicated’ urinary tract infections.

People who are unwell with one of these suspected conditions will either be able to walk directly into a participating pharmacy without an appointment or could find themselves referred there via other NHS services such as 111, urgent treatment centres or GP surgeries themselves.

Age is also a factor in who will be offered help via this route, with the NHS producing clear guidelines on how old children and adults will need to be, depending on the illness, in order to be examined by a pharmacist.

Help and advice from pharmacies will be free, but patients will be charged for any over-the-counter medicine they need to buy.

Those who need a prescription-only medicine and who aren’t eligible for free NHS prescriptions will be charged the standard price for NHS prescriptions, which currently stands at £9.65.

Any of the medicines supplied by pharmacists will also be recorded in the patient’s NHS health record, to which GPs have access.