Five indications added to Pharmacy First prescribing scheme

Some pharmacists in England can now prescribe medicines for acne, migraines, scabies, ear infections, and rhinitis in a major expansion of the Pharmacy First scheme first introduced in 2024.

The five new categories, first announced by the UK government in May and backed by £340 million in funding, add to the seven indications for which eligible pharmacists can provide medicines on the spot (sore throat, earache, sinusitis, shingles, impetigo, infected bites, and urinary tract infections).

Pharmacy First was set up to reduce referrals back to GPs for common, minor complaints, to alleviate some of the burden on hospital A&E departments, and to make it easier for people to access treatment at a time that suits them, according to NHS England.

NHS figures show there were more than 77,000 hospital admissions for diseases of the ear, 47,500 linked to migraines, 5,000 for vasomotor and allergic rhinitis, and 681 for scabies in 2024/25, and shifting some of those into community pharmacy settings could reduce the pressure on the NHS "ahead of what could be another record-breaking winter," it added.

"Once fully rolled out, evidence suggests 2 to 3 million consultations for the five conditions could take place each year in community pharmacies."

Updated figures on the Pharmacy First programme show that it has delivered 14 million consultations since its launch in February 2024, including 2 million appointments for acute sore throats and more than 1.7 million for UTIs.

The announcement has been warmly received by pharmacy groups, including the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), which nevertheless pointed out that England still has a long way to go to catch up with Scotland, where patients can be treated for 27 different conditions at pharmacies.

"This is a really significant announcement, and it is great to see patients being able to be treated for more conditions on their doorstep at their local pharmacy, without having to see a GP," said NPA chief executive Henry Gregg.

"We want to see the government turbo charge the role of pharmacies, including rolling out more prescribing services to patients on the NHS," he added. "Pharmacies are still under significant financial pressures, and this just shows why the government should go much further and invest in our pharmacy network that has the power to transform people’s experience of everyday health issues."

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: "People are fed up with the scramble for routine appointments. They want help when they need it, close to home. That’s exactly what this delivers – no more taking time off work or waiting hours to get seen."