Starting this autumn, pharmacies across England will be authorized to prescribe treatments for additional common ailments as part of a £340 million government initiative aimed at reducing strain on general practitioners and hospitals.
The Pharmacy First program, launched in 2024, currently allows pharmacists to prescribe medication for conditions such as sore throat, earache, sinusitis, shingles, impetigo, infected insect bites, and urinary tract infections. With the new funding, five more conditions will be added to the list, though specific ailments have yet to be announced.
Thousands of newly qualified pharmacists with independent prescribing credentials are expected to join the workforce from autumn, having been trained to prescribe as part of their qualifications. These professionals will play a key role in broadening and improving the scheme.
Health Minister Stephen Kinnock stated that the government is "making the most of our highly skilled pharmacists, while boosting access to services and giving patients more care right on their doorstep." He emphasized that independent prescribing will help ease pressures on GPs and cut unnecessary red tape.
However, pharmacy groups have expressed concerns about funding. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) warned that the deal does not address rising business rates, employer costs, and medicine prices, nor does it close the £2.5 billion funding gap identified by the NHS. NPA chairman Dr. Olivier Picard said the expanded scheme is "nowhere near ambitious enough to transform patient access to care," adding that many pharmacies struggle with loss-making work.
Dr. Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association, told BBC Radio 4's Today program that while changes are "a step in the right direction," the funding offered "doesn't cover the workload to do this." She noted that many pharmacists are questioning whether they can stay afloat.
Between March 2025 and February 2026, over 3.3 million consultations were conducted under the Pharmacy First scheme in England, according to the Department of Health and Social Care.