The Welsh public are being urged to visit their local pharmacies for free advice and treatment for a wide range of illnesses, as new figures reveal more than 400,000 people used the common ailments service in the last 12 months.
Visiting your pharmacy gives you convenient access to a healthcare professional, often without an appointment, and helps to free up GP appointments for people with more complex or urgent health issues.
The common ailments service, available in 99% of pharmacies throughout Wales, provides access to free, confidential advice and treatments for 28 common illnesses including sore throats and urinary tract infections. Last year, more than 400,000 people used the service and it has helped almost 1.25m since it was launched in 2013.
There are also currently around 220 pharmacies delivering the pharmacist independent prescribing service – equivalent to a third of all pharmacies in Wales. This enables pharmacists to treat a range of conditions such as ear, skin and respiratory infections, sinusitis and migraine.
Ninety-five per cent of people said they would have otherwise visited their GP, or other healthcare provider, had they not been able to access this service from their pharmacy.
Up to 100 community pharmacists a year are already undertaking prescribing training and from 2026, all newly-qualified pharmacists will be prescribers at the point of registration.
GPs, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, optometrists, allied health professionals and social care workers in primary and community care are seeing more people than ever and continually extending their range of services.
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Jeremy Miles will highlight the reforms to primary care to provide more care closer to home in a statement to the Senedd on Tuesday:
- GPs receive around 100,000 calls and handle 68,000 appointments per working day.
- Optometrists hold more than 2,000 consultations a month
- Since April 2022, more than 420,000 new patients have received dental treatment.
- District nurses see around 31,000 people every month – equivalent to 1% of Wales’ population.
Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said:
“We know there is very high demand for GP services in Wales, with around 1.6 million people contacting their practice each month.
“For most common health concerns, your local pharmacy is the best option, providing free and easy access to treatment.
“We are working with the NHS to provide more care in the community, closer to people’s homes and to make it easier for people to choose the right service for their health needs.”
Gwawr Davies-Jones, a pharmacist at High Street Pharmacy, Barry, said:
“Since the new pharmacy contract was implemented in 2022, our role has changed considerably.
“Instead of being in the dispensary, we are now in the consultation room for the most part of the day, offering clinical services. On average we undertake more than 20 consultations every day, ranging from providing contraception to emergency medicine supplies.
“The demand for advice on common conditions in the community is great, providing pharmacists with an opportunity to share advice and treatment with their patients, including prescribing antibiotics and other prescription-only medicines where indicated, without the need to see a GP, freeing up much needed appointments for people with more complex conditions.
“We feel we offer an invaluable service to our community. The services we offer alleviate pressures on the NHS, providing great satisfaction to pharmacists knowing that they are doing their bit.”
Pharmacies provide treatment for 28 common illnesses as part of the common ailments service. Many pharmacies also offer access to emergency contraception as well as annual flu vaccinations and regular contraception services.
The Welsh Government has backed this service expansion with substantial funding, increasing its investment by 24% since 2016-17, with an additional £9.9m this year.
