Rishi Sunak hopes the move will allow GPs to focus on patients with more serious conditions. Photo: Stefan Rousseau/AFP
Rishi Sunak has promised a pharmacy «revolution» to cut NHS waiting lists.
In an article for The Telegraph, the Prime Minister, who grew up helping in his mother's pharmacy in Southampton, said new powers given to pharmacists would free up around 10 million GP visits a year.
Changes to pharmacy services mean that from Wednesday patients can be treated for seven common conditions without having to see a GP practices.
Thousands of pharmacists across England will be able to assess and treat patients with sinusitis, sore throat, ear pain, infected insect bites, impetigo, shingles and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women under 65 years of age without the need for a GP visit or a prescription. Women will also be able to obtain birth control pills from pharmacies.
It is hoped the changes will mean GPs will be able to focus on patients with more serious conditions, ensuring they can see consultants more quickly.
NHS England said more than nine out of 10 community pharmacies in England (10,265 in total) will offer Pharmacy First checks.
The number of blood pressure checks for at-risk patients will also be increased next year in a bid to prevent more than 1,350 heart attacks and strokes.
Mr Sunak said the move was aimed at giving people more places , where they can get the help they need, adding: “Local pharmacies are at the heart of our communities — and they are close to my heart too, as my mum opened and ran our local pharmacy in Southampton when I was growing up.< /p>
So we're launching Pharmacy First across England, starting a mini-revolution in healthcare.
“This new service will make it faster, easier and more convenient for millions of people to access NHS care for common conditions. This will save people the time and effort of getting the medicines they need quickly.”
The Prime Minister said the Government would invest up to £645 million over the next two years to help pharmacists provide new services.
“These are simple reforms, but they represent the biggest changes to pharmacy services in years, and the benefits will ripple across the NHS,” he said.
“Most people — eight in 10 — live within a 20-minute walk of a pharmacy, many of which have private consultation rooms to make patients feel comfortable. So, making it easier for pharmacists to help the local population would make a huge difference.
“Collectively, these changes will free up around 10 million GP visits per year. Crucially, it will also help our efforts to reduce NHS waiting lists.»
Mr Sunak said the government had made “real progress” in reducing waiting lists, noting that “in November, the first month without industrial action in a year, waiting lists decreased by more than 95,000.”
He added: “This vital new Pharmacy First service will enable routine care to be delivered faster and closer to home. Convenient, fast, local. It's good for patients and good for the NHS, and the right Conservative reform of our NHS.»
Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of the NHS, said: «GPs already treat millions of people every month more than before the pandemic. But with an aging population and growing demand, we know the NHS needs to give people more choice and make accessing care as easy as possible.
«People across England rightly value the support they receive from their key pharmacists, with eight in ten living within 20 minutes' walk of a pharmacy and twice as many pharmacies in deprived areas, they are ideal places to offer people convenient care for common conditions.»
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