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As part of a £340 million deal, the government is rolling out NHS-funded independent prescribing to boost its Pharmacy First service.
Patients will see quicker access to treatments at their local pharmacy under a new agreement with the government, which is rolling out NHS-funded independent prescribing as part of a £340 million deal.
Under the expansion of the Pharmacy First service, from the autumn, pharmacists will be able to assess patients and prescribe medicines directly. This, the government hopes, will reduce the number of referrals back to GPs and lessen the burden on hospitals, as patients will be able to receive further treatment for common conditions from a pharmacist and avoid the need to go to an urgent treatment centre or A&E.
“Community pharmacies already play a vital role in delivering NHS care closer to home, and this agreement will make it easier for patients to get advice, treatment and medicines through their local pharmacy,” said Amanda Doyle, national director for primary care and community services at NHS England.
“Expanding independent prescribing will help make better use of the clinical expertise within our community pharmacy teams, helping patients get the right care in the right place while helping reduce pressure on other NHS services,” she added.
Cutting red tape
Highlights of the expansion include cutting red tape and bureaucracy to give patients easier access to consultations, with more of the pharmacy team able to deliver a wider number of services such as medicines and prescription advice, consultations for minor conditions and blood pressure checks.
Specifically, the morning-after pill will become available at no cost at pharmacies on the NHS for the first time. And patients who suffer from depression can be offered support at pharmacies when they are prescribed antidepressants.
“Independent prescribing is a generational opportunity to expand the care that pharmacies can provide to patients,” said Malcolm Harrison, chief executive of the Company Chemists’ Association.
Under Pharmacy First, patients already have access to advice, over-the-counter treatments and prescription-only medicines under patient group directions, which are the instructions for supplying or administering medicines.
More than 3.3 million Pharmacy First consultations were delivered between March last year and February this year, an increase of 43% on the previous 12 months. The vast majority (86%) of people using the service reported a positive experience of visiting their pharmacy for support for one of the seven common conditions covered by the service.
