Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd
Blue Sky Offices Shoreham, 25 Cecil Pashley Way, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 5FF, UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44 (0)1273 434 943
Email: [email protected]
The government is piloting a new scheme which allows the NHS 111 online service to make direct referrals to local pharmacies for a same-day consultation.
The scheme hopes to enable patients to be seen in a timely manner, preventing delays to diagnosis and treatment and freeing up GP time.
According to new figures, in June, more than 118,000 people with minor illnesses or in need of urgent medical attention received a same-day consultation with their local pharmacist after calling NHS 111 or their GP practice. This is up by more than 83% (64,512) compared to the same month last year.
Freeing up time for GPs and admin staff to reduce waiting times
Patients will now also be able to register their GP practice online across 70 practices. To do this, people can search online on the nhs.uk website for their nearest GP and register within minutes, with plans in place to scale the service up to 600 practices in the coming months.
The government hope that this will prevent people from calling GP surgeries, which puts added pressure on admin staff and can leave patients waiting for long periods of time.
Minister for Health Will Quince said: “Community pharmacies play a vital role in supporting patients across the country and these figures show just how much they do. Community pharmacy is an important part of Our Plan for Patients this winter and next, helping to ease pressures on GPs and free up time for appointments.
“New services include taking referrals directly from NHS 111 online alongside a pilot to register or change your GP practice online, making access simpler and more convenient for patients.”
Timely and convenient care for patients
Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, said she hopes the new schemes will mean that patients can get the care they need quickly and easily, in a convenient way that fits in with their busy lives.
“It is likely that we will face a busy and challenging winter and while we have already announced plans to boost capacity across our services, I am delighted that hardworking pharmacy teams are playing an even greater role.
“It is vital that the public continue to use the NHS as they normally would if they are unwell so people should continue to use NHS 111 and as ever, if it is life threatening, call 999,” she said.
Ms Prichard also highlights that anyone can see their GP records on the NHS App (including new blood test results) without the need to contact their surgery.