UK pharmacies to treat migraines and acne under NHS expansion
Patients in England can visit local chemists for 12 common conditions without seeing a GP first starting this autumn.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Five new conditions added to UK pharmacy treatment list
- Migraines, acne, scabies, ear infections now included
- Aims to ease heavy pressure on busy GP and A&E units
- Pharmacy First scheme has delivered 14 million consultations
People across England will soon be able to visit their local high street chemist to receive on-the-spot treatment for 12 everyday conditions without needing to book an appointment with their general practitioner first. The new service expansion is scheduled to launch this autumn.
Pharmacists in England are already authorized to prescribe medications for seven existing conditions, which include sore throats, earaches, sinusitis, shingles, impetigo, infected bites, and urinary tract infections. NHS England has now officially added five more health issues to that list.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The five newly approved conditions eligible for pharmacy treatment are migraines, acne, scabies, ear infections, and badly blocked noses. The updated scheme further specifies provisions for children suffering from hay fever or allergic rhinitis, as well as young people and adults dealing with mild to moderate acne.
The expansion of the Pharmacy First initiative highlights ongoing efforts to relieve strain on the UK healthcare system, particularly following a scorching summer and record-high patient numbers in emergency departments. While the policy aims to streamline patient care, pharmacy representative bodies like the National Pharmacy Association continue to raise concerns that government funding fails to match the growing administrative and operational workload.
During the initial rollout phase, several hundred chemists across England will offer treatments for these five additional conditions. The service will then scale up gradually until it becomes fully available across thousands of community NHS pharmacies nationwide, accessible either by walking straight in or via referrals from NHS111 and local GPs.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that the public had grown fed up with scrambling for routine medical appointments and preferred close-to-home assistance that eliminated the need to take time off work. Meanwhile, Rob Music, chief executive of the charity The Migraine Trust, expressed enthusiasm over the announcement following long-standing advocacy for better pharmacy-based migraine care.
"Having this support for people with migraine through their local pharmacy was a wonderful opportunity for a faster and improved care pathway."
Rob Music
Launched in England back in 2024, the Pharmacy First scheme has recorded 14 million consultations to date, including two million appointments for sore throats and 1.7 million for urinary tract infections. Scotland operates a similar precursor model allowing chemists to treat up to 27 different conditions, with Northern Ireland and Wales also maintaining comparable patient care systems.
Source: BBC Health
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