NHS encourages patients with minor illnesses to visit pharmacies instead of GPs

NHS England has launched a new campaign which encourages patients with ‘minor illnesses’, such as earache, a sore throat and itchy eyes, to visit their local pharmacy instead of booking a GP appointment.

The campaign comes following new research which revealed that just one in five adults would visit their local pharmacy for non-urgent health advice.

‘Movie-inspired’ adverts which dramatise minor illnesses and highlight the clinical advice and over-the-counter medicines that local pharmacists can offer will be broadcast on TV, radio and social media.

The campaign is one of several aimed at drawing attention to the importance of accessing the most appropriate NHS service when patients are in need.

Chief pharmaceutical officer, David Webb, said: “Pharmacies can offer the convenience of turn up on the day consultations and can help you get any care needed including over-the-counter-medicines. So whether suffering from a cough, earache, itchy eye, or any other minor illness, popping into your local pharmacy is a great way to nip an issue in the bud before it potentially worsens.”

Pharmacies already under pressure

But the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) says that directing people to pharmacies without any regard for the pressures they are under is “deeply concerning” and “extremely unhelpful.

PSNC chief executive Janet Morrison told The Pharmacist that the campaign is “particularly irritating” considering the PSNC has recently told NHS England and the Department of Health that a series of proposals to ease pressure on pharmacies are “totally inadequate”.

“NHS England Board Members have noted the pressure on pharmacies – so why are their teams so often acting to make these pressures worse?” she said.

NHSE did not consult pharmacists when developing campaign

Leyla Hannbeck, CEO of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, has voiced similar concerns. She told inews that while pharmacies what to help the NHS, they cannot do so successfully without adequate funding.

“Our funding is not fit for purpose at the moment. There needs to be a cash injection to allow pharmacists to bring their heads above the water,” she said.

Ms Hannbeck also told inews that NHS leaders did not liaise with community pharmacies in the production of this campaign, and said it was “unfair” that the NHS has “thrown” this extra workload on community pharmacy teams.

Further funding needed

Pharmacy associations are now urging the government to provide adequate funding to support this campaign so that community pharmacies are able to cope with the increased demand.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) chair Andrew Lane said: “Schemes like this have been successful in Cornwall and across Scotland and Wales and it’s fair to the public that there should be something similar in England.

“But this can only work if there is substantial new investment by government and NHS England. Community pharmacies have been asked to do more and more work for less and less payment, and our capacity no longer matches the demands made on us.”