Pharmacy treatments saving more than a thousand GP appointments a month in Cornwall

  • Graham Lewis speaks to pharmacists making a difference in Cornwall

More than a thousand GP appointments a month have been freed up in Cornwall in a pilot where people can get treatment for certain conditions from a pharmacist instead.

The Pharmacy First scheme has been so successful it's now being rolled out across the country.

From sore throats to shingles, pharmacists can diagnose and treat a range of common conditions on the spot.

Pharmacist Jakob Solarz from Penryn said: “We can avoid referring people who suffer from quite common and uncomplicated conditions back to their GP.

"So we can see them quicker, give them the medication that they need without having to book an appointment with their GP.”

The pilot scheme has been running for two years in Cornwall, and over the last year, it’s saved 12,000 GP appointments.

Dr Chris Reid, Chief Medical Officer, NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board said: “I've been a GP for more than 20 years. I know how busy we are and I know how important community pharmacies are.

"They play a part in what I would call a ‘team of teams’ approach to making sure we've got a really good offering to access full access for patients when they need it so they can get the right care in the right place at the right time and take the pressure off the emergency departments as well.”

A consultation with pharmacist Jakob Solarz in Penryn, Cornwall

For children, pharmacists can treat:

  • Conjunctivitis (aged 1 to 2 years)

  • Impetigo, a skin infection

  • Insect bites

  • Mild skin conditions

  • Sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)

  • Sore throat (aged 5 years and over)

  • Acute otitis media, an earache (aged 1 to 17 years)

For adults, pharmacists can treat

  • Urinary tract infection (UTI) or cystitis (women only, ages 16 to 64)

  • Impetigo, a skin infection

  • Insect bites

  • Migraine

  • Mild skin conditions

  • Shingles (age 18 years and over)

  • Sinusitis

  • Sore throat

  • Vaginal thrush

Nearly all pharmacies in Cornwall have signed up to the scheme.

Now the NHS has released a series of seven short films about the scheme, featuring pharmacists from across the Duchy.

Drew Creek, chief operating officer, of community pharmacy in Cornwall said: “People will find it easy to access their pharmacy. They don't need an appointment.

"They can just walk in. Yes, there might be a short wait as our pharmacy teams are very busy, but pharmacies have some capacity within their day to be able to deliver this new service and see patients in the consultation room.”