We all know that getting a GP appointment in the UK can be an absolute nightmare. Whether you are going in for headaches, stomach pains or something more serious, you sometimes have to join a very long waiting list before being seen by a doctor. However, a new system that has come into place in England will help millions get medical help if they are suffering from one of these seven common conditions.
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This new plan came into place on Wednesday 31 January, and it will allow thousands of pharmacists across the country to treat people without a prescription. More than 9 in every 10 community pharmacies in England will be offering check ups under the Pharmacy First scheme, according to NHS England. Here’s a list of the 7 conditions, and what people have been saying about the new system.
The 7 conditions
If you have sinusitis, which involves the swelling of the sinuses and can lead to a sinus headache, you will be able to head straight to the pharmacy for treatment. The same goes for a sore throat or earache. Insect bites are usually not serious but if they get infected or don’t go away on their own, you can ask a pharmacist for help. Impetigo, a very contagious but not serious skin condition, can also be treated at the pharmacy. Shingles, which causes a painful rash, is also on the list along with uncomplicated UTIs in women under 65.
This move to have people go straight to the pharmacy for help is expected to help them receive assistance faster and free up 10 million GP appointments a year.
What people have said about the scheme
Pharmacies who take part in the scheme will receive an initial fixed payment of £2,000 each, with £15 per consultation and a monthly fixed payment of £1,000 if they hit a minimum number of consultations. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:
Community pharmacies already do a tremendous job at treating minor conditions and with the Pharmacy First service - backed by £645 million - we’re determined to go further and unlock their full potential to deliver routine care.
Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, agreed that pharmacies were the ideal way to get care to people suffering from common health issues. She explained that with 8 in 10 people ‘living within a 20-minute walk of a pharmacy and twice as many pharmacies in areas of deprivation, they are the perfect spot to offer people convenient care for common conditions’.
However, Dr Leyla Hannbeck warns that this is not a complete answer to the NHS’ problems. The chief executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies welcomed the scheme, but pointed out that pharmacies are ‘severely underfunded to the tune of £1.2 billion now and as a direct result of that are reducing opening hours and even closing completely’.
To ensure that pharmacies ‘deliver to the potential the Government is expecting’, she says they will need more funding.
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Sources used:
LancsLive: Full list of 7 common conditions pharmacists can treat from today without GP appointment
ITV:The seven illnesses patients can now get treatment for without needing to see a GP in England
