UK

Pharmacy First could free up 30m GP appointments annually, data show


Laura Donnelly
Sat, 16 March 2024 

Pharmacists could free up 30 million GP appointments a year - sturti/iStockphoto

One in three of the patient consultations under the Pharmacy First scheme to treat common illnesses are happening at evenings and weekends, new figures show.

The statistics from major high-street pharmacies show thousands of patients turning to them for help when GPs are usually closed.

A month ago the NHS launched the scheme, which means people can consult pharmacists about seven common conditions, including sore throats, earache and urinary tract infections, instead of having to make an appointment with a doctor.

Now data from the first four weeks in operation show 29 per cent of consultations are taking place at evenings and weekends.

The figures from the Company Chemists’ Association, which includes ASDA, Boots, Morrisons, Superdrug and Tesco, show 50,000 consultations so far. Amongst the seven conditions, sore throat has seen the highest proportion of consultations (31 per cent), closely followed by uncomplicated urinary tract infections (27 per cent), earache (16 per cent) and sinusitis (14 per cent).

The organisation said take up so far suggests that the scheme has the potential to free up 10 million GP appointments by next winter.

Malcolm Harrison, Chief Executive of the CCA said: “Our members delivered nearly 50,000 NHS Pharmacy First consultations in the first month, which is an incredible achievement when you consider the tremendous workload and funding pressures they are all currently under.

“Patients are accessing the service across the entire week, including outside of typical work hours and at weekends. The level and nature of uptake demonstrates the need for this service.”
Worsening access

It follows warnings of worsening access to GPs, with four-week waits at a record high.

The last GP Patient Survey found two two-thirds of patients rarely or never get to see their preferred doctor, while one in six patients did not get an appointment at all the last time they tried.

Family doctors have previously been told to ensure some appointments are available on Saturdays, in an attempt to improve access.

However, the British Medical Association opposed the contract, which said patients should be able to access a weekend appointment, though not necessarily at their own practice.

Private GPs offering appointments have reported a surge in demand in recent years, with some charging extra at evenings and weekends.

Mr Harrison said pharmacies could do a lot more to improve patient access to healthcare, and relieve pressures on GPs, but needed more funding to do so.

Projections suggest that with more funding, the Pharmacy First scheme could free up 30 million GP appointments annually – the equivalent of a month’s work.

Mr Harrison said: “Pharmacies can do a whole lot more to stop the 8am GP ‘scramble’ that many patients continue to experience, but this will only be possible if policymakers fund Pharmacy First beyond 2025 and address historic underfunding of other core pharmacy services.

“Unless the underlying chronic underfunding of pharmacy is addressed, local pharmacies will continue to close, making it harder for patients to obtain the medicines they need.”