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The Community Pharmacy Walk-In Consultation Service (WICS), offering treatment for various minor ailments, recorded 19,567 consultations in 2024. This marks a 61 per cent increase compared to the 12,138 consultations recorded in 2023, according to data released by Community Pharmacy Cornwall (CPC) and obtained by The Pharmaceutical Journal. Launched in community pharmacies across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in January 2021, the minor ailment scheme is commissioned by the NHS and CPC. It enables locally accredited community pharmacists to supply prescription-only-medicines (POMs) for the treatment of several common conditions utilising patient group directions (PGDs) that Pharmacy First does not currently cover. These include vaginal candidiasis (vaginal thrush), dermatitis, migraine, conjunctivitis, and emergency hormonal contraception. Since its launch, the service has facilitated over 38,000 consultations, with 80 per cent of them resulting in advice or treatment that concluded the consultation in the pharmacy. WICS data also indicates that the service has helped avoid an estimated 30,000 GP appointments and more than 500 inappropriate A&E visits since its inception.

Royal Pharmaceutical Society in England and the Royal College of General Practitioners have published recommendations for the roll-out and success of the GP Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (GP CPCS). These recommendations follow a workshop with stakeholders from pharmacy, general practice and representative bodies, examining ways to maximise the potential of the service and meet growing demand on the health service. The workshop report made five recommendations: The NHS England and Improvement should provide additional investment in local system support and resources to drive the CPCS implementation and uptake between general practice and community pharmacy. National representative bodies should work with NHS E&I to develop national and local engagement and streamline communication plans for CPCS referral pathway. Focus on expanding the role of community pharmacists in the management of minor illness. Evaluation of CPCS service and its impacts on general practice workload, patient outcomes and health inequalities.