MORE than 1,058,500 people across the North West have now been supported by community pharmacies under the Pharmacy First service since January last year – helping patients manage minor illnesses and access medicines without needing to see a GP.
The latest available data, covering the period from January 2024 to May 2025, shows:
- Almost 500,000 consultations delivered through the clinical pathways – for conditions like sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bites, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections.
- Almost 272,000 minor illness consultations.
- Over 336,000 urgent medicine supply consultations.
- Over 152,000 patients treated for sore throats, and almost 126,000 for UTIs alone.
With schools breaking up and people taking holidays both at home and abroad, community pharmacies are seeing a seasonal spike in insect bites, sunburn, travel-related illness, and minor injuries linked to barbecues, outdoor sports, and gardening. Children are off school and enjoying time outdoors which can often bring more bumps and grazes than usual.
Karen O’Brien, regional chief pharmacist for NHS England in the North West said: “The Pharmacy First service has supported more than a million people in just 17 months, and that impact is especially clear during the summer season. With families travelling, schools off, and people spending more time outdoors, it’s vital to have quick and convenient access to care, via the highly qualified health professionals in our community pharmacies.
“Conditions like sunburn, insect bites, sore throats and minor infections don’t need to take up GP appointments or clog up emergency services – community pharmacies are ideally placed to treat them quickly and professionally.”
To find your nearest pharmacy go to nhs.uk/service-search/pharmacy/find-a-pharmacy/
1 Comment
A facility that is greatly underused by the public .
People causing unnecessary queues in the Accident and emergency department when there issue could be dealt with locally.