Pharmacists will be able to treat migraines, acne and hay fever as NHS ‘pharmacy first’ scheme is expanded
The NHS is expanding its 'pharmacy first' scheme in England, allowing pharmacists to treat more common conditions without patients needing a GP appointment first. From this autumn, participating pharmacies will begin offering care for acne, migraines, scabies, certain ear infections and allergic rhinitis (hay fever) as part of a phased rollout, on top of conditions already covered such as impetigo, shingles, sinusitis and urinary tract infections. The move is intended to ease pressure on GPs and hospitals ahead of winter, and has been welcomed by pharmacy bodies, though some are urging the government to go further.
Once fully rolled out, the NHS expects the new conditions to generate between two and three million pharmacy consultations. Since launching in February 2024, the scheme has already delivered 14 million consultations, including two million for sore throats and 1.7 million for urinary tract infections, with around four in five people in England living within a 20-minute walk of a community pharmacy. The National Pharmacy Association noted that Scotland already allows pharmacists to treat 27 conditions, calling on England to catch up, while Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the expansion would spare people long waits for routine GP appointments.
- NHS pharmacy first scheme adds five new treatable conditions this autumn.
- Includes migraines, acne, scabies, ear infections and hay fever.
- Aims to cut GP pressure; up to 3 million extra consultations expected.
New here? Start with this
Pharmacies in England already do more than dispense prescriptions: since February 2024, the "pharmacy first" scheme has let trained pharmacists assess and treat certain common illnesses, such as sore throats, UTIs and shingles, without a GP appointment first. The scheme was set up to take pressure off overstretched GP surgeries and hospitals, and NHS figures show it has already handled around 14 million consultations.
Ministers are now extending the list of conditions pharmacists can treat, adding things like acne, migraines, hay fever, scabies and some ear infections from this autumn. The change is being introduced ahead of winter, when demand on the NHS typically rises, and follows comparisons with Scotland, where pharmacists can already treat a wider range of conditions.
The scheme matters because most people in England live close to a community pharmacy, making it a convenient first point of contact for minor ailments. Pharmacy groups have broadly welcomed the expansion while pushing for it to go further, and the government has presented it as a way to cut waiting times for routine GP appointments.