Hornchurch & Upminster MP, Julia Lopez, has welcomed the launch of the government's Pharmacy First programme in Havering on a visit to Well Pharmacy in Harold Wood.
Launched by government at the end of January, Pharmacy First will allow residents to be treated for seven common conditions directly from their local pharmacy, without the need for a GP appointment or prescription. This includes being able to receive antibiotics and antivirals for conditions like urinary tract infection, sore throat, earache, sinusitis and shingles.
It is estimated the programme will save around 10 million GP appointments a year across the country. 358 pharmacies in North-East London, including the Well Pharmacy that has been serving Harold Wood for over 15 years, have signed up to Pharmacy First so far which enables pharmacists to utilise more of their medical skills and training.
This approach will not only speed up access to essential care for patients, but also help to reduce pressure on local GP services by directing people to more appropriate places to be treated.
This scheme is backed by up to £645 million in Government funds and forms part of the Government’s wider Primary Care Access Recovery Plan. Under the same programme, in December 2023 the contraceptive pill service expanded with over 5,000 pharmacies registering to offer women over the counter supply of oral contraception without needing to first see their GP.
The Pharmacy First programme follows on from the Government successfully meeting three health-related manifesto commitments last year: recruiting 50,000 additional nurses, recruiting 26,000 additional primary care staff and providing 50 million additional GP appointments.
For residents in Havering, this means that the local NHS Integrated Care System, North-East London, is being served by 1,326 nurses providing care to the community while GPs are being supported by an additional 670 primary care support staff – ranging from paramedics to dieticians and physiotherapists. This additional support has enabled the region to deliver a 21% increase in GP appointments, including coronavirus vaccinations, in the 12 months leading to November 2023 compared to the 12 months leading to November 2019. This was the 6th largest increase across England.
Julia Lopez MP said:
“It was great to meet Branch Manager, Khailid, and the regional team at Well Pharmacy in Harold Wood to hear of the new services they will be offering residents. Our pharmacists and GPs are the gateway to NHS services and the Pharmacy First programme means that busy patients can get faster, straightforward treatment for some of those frustrating but generally not serious conditions.
This vital programme comes after meeting three key health pledges ahead of schedule on GP appointments and recruitment. Added to the new St George's Health & Wellbeing Hub being delivered in Hornchurch, along with a community diagnostics hub on that site which will give us thousands more scans and blood tests a year, I hope that residents will start to see improvements to their care after a time of huge pressures.”
Sheena Patel, Senior Regional Operations Manager at Well Pharmacy said:
“It was great to host Julia and highlight the difference pharmacies are making to the healthcare needs of our local community and patients.
“We had great conversations around the key services that community pharmacies provide, particularly the new Pharmacy First service we provide."
