In Support news

Follow this topic

Bookmark

Record learning outcomes

Common ailments such as coughs and sore throats cost the NHS an extra £1.1bn when treated at A&E or GP surgeries rather than at community pharmacies, according to Royal Pharmaceutical Society research.

Treating common ailments in community pharmacy cost £29.30 per patient, according to the research. Treating the same problems at a GP practice cost nearly three times more at £82.34, and in A&E it cost nearly five times more at £147.09. Treatment results were equally good, regardless of where patients were treated.

The study estimated that 5.5 per cent of GP consultations and 3 per cent of A&E consultations for common ailments could be managed in community pharmacies. This equates to over 650,000 visits to A&E and over 18 million GP consultations each year that could be diverted.

To give patients faster treatment and create more capacity at A&E and GP surgeries for patients with more complex needs, the RPS is calling on NHS England to provide a national common ailments service through pharmacies. RPS president Ash Soni said: €The NHS can't afford to wait any longer to create capacity in the system. We need to be more strategic and change the services on offer to the public to make best use of the NHS workforce. The NHS must act urgently to provide a nationwide common ailment service through all community pharmacies in England.