Patients to benefit from faster, more convenient care

Patients to benefit from faster, more convenient care Millions of patients will receive quicker, more convenient access to NHS care from their high street pharmacy, thanks to a major expansion of services under a radical plan to improve access to primary care.

For the first time ever, patients who need prescription medication will be able to get it directly from a pharmacy, without a GP appointment, for seven common conditions including earache, sore throat, or urinary tract infections by next winter, thanks to government investment of £645 million over two years to expand community pharmacy services. NHS England

See also:

• Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care NHS England
• New plan to make it easier for patients to see their GP Department of Health and Social Care
• What the Prime Minister’s Primary Care Recovery Plan means for you Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street
• NHS Confederation responds to government and NHS plans to support primary care NHS Confederation
• Government pledges £645m investment in community pharmacy Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee
• RCGP response to government plan on GP access Royal College of General Practitioners
• New GP plan asks more patients to use pharmacies BBC News
• Scores of local pharmacies closing across England BBC News
• Number of pharmacies in England drops 160 in two years - more could close without government funding The Daily Mail
• Chemists to be given powers to hand out prescriptions for common illnesses to ease pressure on GPs The Daily Mail
• GPs to be given £240 million for new phone systems to ease chaos and lengthy waits for patients The Daily Mail
• Skip the GP for common illnesses under PM's plan to help NHS The Daily Telegraph
• Pharmacies in England to offer prescriptions for seven conditions amid surgery crisis The Guardian
• Pharmacists to offer prescriptions for these seven conditions without GP sign-off The Independent
• Government pledges £240m for GP telephony upgrades as part of 'recovery plan' Pulse