Patients in South East will be able to get treatment for seven common conditions at their high street pharmacy from today without needing to see a GP, as part of a major transformation in the way the NHS delivers care.

More than 9 in 10 community pharmacies in the South East (over 1,381 in total) will be offering the ground-breaking initiative, with the health service making it easier and more convenient for people to access care.

Highly trained pharmacists will be able to assess and treat patients for sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women (under the age of 65) without the need for an appointment or prescription.

Alison Taylor, NHS England South East’s Medical Director said;

“Today sees the continued expansion of the role of community pharmacies in the South East, providing quicker and easier access to healthcare on the high street, making it as easy as possible for people to get the help they need.

“This is great news for patients – from today you can pop into one of more than 10,000 high street pharmacies in England to get a consultation on seven common conditions including ear-ache, a sore throat or sinusitis at a convenient time, with many pharmacies open late into the evening – a great help for all of us leading increasingly busy lives.

Priya Littler, Pharmacist at Laly’s Pharmacy in Portsmouth, who is  offering treatment for the common conditions at her pharmacy said:

“We’re really pleased to be a part of this new expansion of what community pharmacy can offer. It builds on the work we’re already doing to help patients with advice and treatment for a wide range of minor illnesses, as well as offering things like vaccinations and support to quit smoking.”

It builds on the successful expansion of the contraceptive pill service in December 2023, with 1 in 4 pharmacies [380] in the South East now offering women the chance to get a supply of oral contraception over the counter from their pharmacy without needing to first see their GP.

In future, the NHS expects almost half a million women a year to receive their contraception from their high street pharmacist.

The major expansion of pharmacy services will give the public more choice in where and how they access care, aiming to free up 10 million GP appointments a year nationally.

The scheme is part of the NHS and government’s primary care access recovery plan, which committed to making accessing healthcare easier for millions of people.