Responding to NHS England's announcement that pharmacies will begin treating people for seven common conditions Ruth Rankine, primary care director at the NHS Confederation, said:

“Extending the treatments that pharmacists can provide through the launch of Pharmacy First is a welcome step that should help ease the burden on GPs and their teams while ensuring patients can get safe and convenient care for minor conditions.

“It is also further recognition that community pharmacy is a major part of the wider primary care system and just one of the ways that community pharmacies and general practice can work together more closely to bring care closer to people’s homes and give patients more control of how they manage their health.

“But our members and pharmacies must be properly supported if this scheme is going to help reduce demand on GP services. This includes making sure that GP and pharmacy IT systems are properly connected so that updating patient records between the two services does not create additional work for staff. The last thing we want is for patients to fall through the cracks between the two services.”