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.