A policy brief, developed by researchers from the University of Bath and University of Strathclyde with funding from Sigma Pharmaceuticals, has recommended
the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS to increase community pharmacy funding to avoid damaging closures and diminution of quality.
The report launched on Wednesday (12 June) at an event in the House of Commons, attended by Members of Parliament, senior policymakers and the pharmacy industry,
analysed community pharmacy policies and spoke to stakeholders to explore their opinions of the future of community pharmacy.
It was found that patients value their community pharmacies, but staff feel demotivated, insecure and undervalued.
Stakeholders and policies suggested that in the future, medicines should be supplied by automated 'hub and spoke' dispensing, enabling community pharmacy staff to
provide services that relieve pressure on GP surgeries, such as long-term conditions management, urgent care and public health.
As part of a new blueprint for primary care, the government today (May 9) announced an investment of £645 million over two years to expand community pharmacy
services in England.
In a statement, NHS England said: "For the first time ever, patients who need prescription medication will be able to get it directly from a pharmacy, without a
GP appointment, for seven common conditions including earache, sore throat, or urinary tract infections."
Prime minister Rishi Sunak hopes that the measures will help end the "all-too stressful wait on the end of the phone for patients" by freeing up 15 million slots at
doctors' surgeries over the next two years.
"We will end the 8am rush and expand the services offered by pharmacies, meaning patients can get their medication quickly and easily," he said
Almost half a million women will no longer need to speak to a practice nurse or GP to access oral contraception and will instead be able to pop into their local
pharmacy for it, according to the government announcement.
Blood checks for people suffering from moderate risk of heart attack or stroke conducted in community pharmacies will more than double from 900,000 last year to
2.5 million next year.
NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said the "ambitious package" would help transform how care is provided within the health service "with pharmacies playing a
central role in managing the nation's health including providing lifesaving checks and medication for common conditions for the first time.
NHS England on Monday (19 February) unveiled a new multichannel campaign to inform the public about the additional services offered at their local pharmacy
under the recently launched Pharmacy First service.
The extended service allows patients to get treatment and medicines from their local pharmacy for seven common conditions, including sinusitis, sore throat,
earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women, without needing to see a GP.
As part of its 'Help Us, Help You' campaign, NHS England has started running adverts across on-demand TV services, radio, bus stops and billboards as well as
social media, encouraging people to use their high street pharmacies for treatment of these common illnesses.
More than half of people (52%) do not feel confident in treating backache and less than half (44%) uses community pharmacists' advice as their first step on
self-treatable conditions, a self-care attitudes 2022 survey has revealed.
PAGB, the consumer healthcare association, surveyed over 2,000 adults across the UK about their attitudes towards self-care and access to health services.
According to the survey, the public is in favour of self-care but many people lack the confidence and knowledge to care for the most common self-treatable conditions
including backaches, headaches, diarrhoea and constipation.
Four in five respondents (79%) said that people should take more responsibility for their own health and three-quarters (73%) believe that the NHS should make
self-treatment easier.
Behaviours around the current use of pharmacy varied - with less than half (44%) using community pharmacists as their first step in in getting advice on
self-treatable conditions - but longer term attitudes were encouraging, with 69% supporting the idea of GPs being able to make referrals to pharmacists.
Respondents also supported expanding the role of pharmacists so that their skills can be better utilised.
The much-awaited Pharmacy First service has been launched in England, enabling patients to get treatment for seven common conditions from their community
pharmacists without needing to see a GP.
According to NHS England, a total of 10,265 community pharmacies, which is equivalent to more than nine in ten community pharmacies in the country, will be
offering the ground-breaking initiative.
The new scheme allows highly trained pharmacists to give advice and prescription-only medicines for minor ailments including sinusitis, sore throat, earache,
infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women (under the age of 65).
With this major expansion of pharmacy services, the NHS is aiming to free up 10 million GP appointments a year while giving the public more choice in where and
how they access care.
Over the past two years, the Covid pandemic has resulted in a backlog of elective care within the NHS, with record numbers of patients on waiting lists
across the UK. Despite efforts to catch up after the first wave, subsequent waves have put further strain on an already stretched NHS system.
This has had a tremendous impact on many patients waiting for routine dermatology appointments and, while every effort has been made to see patients with suspected
serious skin cancers within two weeks, this target is not always achieved.
With rising waiting times, pharmacists are increasingly the first port of call for patients suffering with a broad range of skin problems. From acne and rosacea,
eczema or psoriasis, to changing skin lesions or simple insect bites, pharmacists can give helpful advice, allowing some customers to find quick relief to their
skin complaint in mild cases, while directing others to see their GP without delay.
Below is some practical advice that pharmacists can give to their customers with commonly encountered skin complaints.
Acne
Acne is a common skin condition that not only affects teenagers but adults too. It is estimated that up to 40 per cent of women continue to suffer with acne into
their adult years. Acne has been linked to an increased incidence of depression, anxiety and even suicidal ideation.
Patients have reported feeling overlooked and often dismissed in their concerns by health care professionals.
Unfortunately, these issues have been further compounded by delays in being seen and treated due to the ongoing Covid pandemic. Pharmacists are well placed to help
acne patients choose the right skincare. This should consist of lightweight products, such as gel or milky cleansers, with moisturisers in serum, lotion or light
cream preparations. Some acne suitable products are further labelled as non-comedogenic.
Oil-based or occlusive preparations are best avoided. There are many good quality, non-comedogenic sun blocks suited
Almost all community pharmacies in the West Midlands and East Midlands have begun treating people for seven common conditions, as part of the newly launched
Pharmacy First scheme.
NHS England on Sunday (4 February) revealed that more than 95 per cent of community pharmacies in the West Midlands (1130) and over 97 per cent in the East
Midlands (840) have joined the ground-breaking initiative.
The scheme allows highly trained pharmacists to assess and treat patients for sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, and
uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women (under the age of 65) without the need for an appointment or prescription.
With this major expansion of pharmacy services, the health service is aiming to free up 10 million GP appointments a year, while making it easier and more
convenient for people to access care.
More than 1000 pharmacies in England, including Boots stores, are now delivering the newly launched NHS Pharmacy First Service.
Launched on Wednesday (31 January), the new service enables pharmacists to provide advice and treatment, if appropriate, for seven common conditions, which
include sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, or an uncomplicated urinary tract infection in women.
Instead of going to a GP surgery, patients can go to their community pharmacists to get treatment for these common conditions, without the need for an appointment.
Patients who may need additional support will be referred to a GP or another healthcare provider by the pharmacist.
Seb James, managing director of Boots UK and ROI, has described their launch of Pharmacy First service as "one of the most significant changes in how we can
serve our customers and patients in our 175-year history."
The 14th Community Pharmacy Conference by Sigma Pharmaceuticals has been timely, prime minister Rishi Sunak said, noting that it coincided with the launch
of Pharmacy First, a new initiative that enables patients to receive treatments for seven common conditions directly from a pharmacist without the need for a GP
appointment or prescription.
"We are all grateful for the tremendous contributions that pharmacists make to our NHS. The fantastic work you do is critical to the success of Pharmacy First and
many other initiatives," Sunak said in a written message.
The conference was organised from 25-29 February at Sun City in Johannesburg, South Africa, under the theme 'community pharmacy in an integrated NHS'.
In a recorded video address to the Sigma Conference, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said community pharmacies are 'critical' to the Labour party's mission to
make the NHS 'fit for the future'.
"You should be playing a much more significant role. Labour's reform agenda will get pharmacists working to the top of their licence. We want community pharmacists
to play a greater role in healthcare, with more focus on their expertise in prescribing and medicines management," he said.
Acknowledging the ongoing challenges in delivering the required IT systems for the scheduled launch of the Pharmacy First service on January 31, NHS England
reported progress in fulfilling 'many' commitments outlined in its plan to enhance primary care access during a board meeting on Thursday.
However, it noted that the digital infrastructure supporting Pharmacy First, included in the £645 million fresh funding for community pharmacy, will require additional time for implementation.
"Delivery remains challenging due to changes needed in digital infrastructure, and we are working with suppliers to support January implementation," NHSE said.
"A public campaign is planned for 2024."
The Pharmacy First service allows pharmacists to supply prescription-only medicines for seven common health conditions (sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected
insect bite, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women), eliminating the need for a GP visit.
Meanwhile, NHSE is leveraging the widespread accessibility of pharmacies by expanding blood pressure monitoring and introducing direct prescribing of clinically
safe oral contraceptives-an initiative that has been well-received.
Pharmacy2U has joined thousands of pharmacists in launching the new NHS Pharmacy First service in England.
The new service, which was first launched on 31 January 2024, enables pharmacists to treat seven common health conditions without the need for a GP appointment
or prescription.
Over 95 per cent of all community pharmacies in the country (10,265 in total) have signed up to provide the service, which is aimed at easing pressure on GP
services while giving patients quick and accessible care.
Under the Pharmacy First service, the online pharmacy is offering same-day appointments to manage six conditions: sinusitis, an infected insect bite, sore
throat, UTIs, shingles and impetigo.
Pharmacy2U's CEO Kevin Heath said that they support the initiative fully and that the service will play a major role in providing patients easy and direct
access to pharmacists.
With GP waiting times on the rise and the secondary NHS care system under pressure, there is a further opportunity for pharmacy to support the general public
with self-care.
The men's health category is one category where pharmacists can play a leading role - specifically Erection Problems (EPs) where pharmacists can be key to building
awareness, destigmatising the condition, and providing support and solutions for the patient.
Training for pharmacists is essential - helping them to understand how they can assist those looking for treatment whilst also breaking down barriers and normalising
the conversation around EPs.
EPs are when a man regularly cannot get and keep an erection. EPs can happen to any adult man, not limited to the older generation, though they are particularly
common in men over the age of 40.
EPs may happen in some situations over others and so it is increasingly important for men to speak about and identify the cause of their symptoms, particularly
because EPs can often be an indication of other serious health conditions like cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure or diabetes.
If pharmacies can encourage men to seek help with their EPs, they may also be able to identify additional serious and undiagnosed conditions earlier, thereby
supporting men's health more widely.
Community Pharmacy Wales and the Welsh government have entered an agreement on Thursday (December 16), enabling all pharmacies to deliver provision of
contraception, treatment for common minor ailments, and access to repeat medicines in an emergency.
Expansion of clinical community pharmacy service will be supported with an increased funding of £20 million a year by April 2024 from the current level of £11.4m.
The two bodies have been negotiating the terms of agreement, which also includes plans to roll out a Wales-wide pharmacy prescribing service, allowing trained pharmacists to treat an extended range of conditions that currently require GP visits.
The agreement will allow patients to access NHS services closer to home which in turn would free up GP and other NHS services for patients with more complex needs.
Eluned Morgan MS, minister for Health and Social Services said: "I welcome the positive approach to negotiations taken by Community Pharmacy Wales, embracing our ambition for a reimagined community pharmacy service, which is an integral part of a strong primary care landscape."
Community Pharmacy England (CPE) is aiming to reach an agreement with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England (NHSE) on negotiation
with regards to expanded services and payment model in the pharmacy sector.
Chief Executive Janet Morrison, said: "We are working at pace in negotiations with DHSC and NHSE. The process remains on track with the Government's original
timescale - i.e. aiming for agreement in July, with cross-government clearance later in July, and implementation from July through to September."
CPE is involved in working groups on service expansion of Hypertension Case-Finding and the Pharmacy Contraception Scheme and service design for the Common
Conditions Service; and are in in-depth negotiations on Payment models.
These discussions critically look at the balance between funding core capacity and activity payments, how the funding streams will be distributed and how CPE
will measure delivery and impact.
NHSE has been leading on the development of the PGD pathways for each of the 7 conditions, with external medical, pharmacy and other experts feeding into the
process - pharmacy owners from the Community Pharmacy England Committee have also been involved but the discussions are clinically led to ensure they comply with
NICE principles and concur with Antimicrobial Stewardship policy.
Researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) have been tasked to evaluate the impact, safety and effectiveness of the
Pharmacy First service, which was launched across England in January 2024.
They have been awarded £2.4million by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to generate evidence on the new service that allows
pharmacies to provide advice and treatment for seven common conditions without the need for a GP appointment.
After consultation, if necessary, a community pharmacist can supply some prescription-only medicines to treat earache, sore throat, sinusitis, impetigo,
shingles, infected insect bites or uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women.
The LSHTM researcher team will be working together with experts at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Universities of Oxford, Manchester and
Nottingham on the project.
Dr Rebecca Glover, assistant professor in Antimicrobial Resistance at LSHTM, who will lead the three-year project, said they will evaluate "Pharmacy First's
impact on GPs and the wider NHS, pharmacy services and patients."