Westminster Life: Bringing NHS care closer to home
“ good news for patients, good news for our local NHS”
One of the things I hear regularly from residents across North West Cambridgeshire is that when you need help from the NHS, you want it quickly, conveniently and as close to home as possible, writes North West Cambridgeshire MP Sam Carling.
That is why I strongly welcome the Labour Government’s latest expansion of Pharmacy First.
From this autumn, participating pharmacies will be able to provide treatment for five more conditions – migraines, acne, scabies, ear infections and rhinitis – without patients first having to make an appointment with their GP.
Our local pharmacies are an important part of our communities, particularly in the more rural parts of my constituency where access to services can be even more challenging.
We all know how frustrating it can be trying to arrange an appointment for a relatively straightforward health problem. For people working, caring for family members, looking after children or relying on public transport, another appointment can mean significant disruption to their day.
Pharmacy First is designed to make things easier. A trained pharmacist can assess you, provide advice and, where appropriate, prescribe treatment for the conditions covered by the service.
Importantly, this isn't about replacing our GPs. It is about making sure people receive the right care in the right place. By enabling pharmacists to deal with more common conditions, we can help free up GP appointments for patients who need the expertise of a doctor or more complex treatment.
Since its launch in 2024, Pharmacy First has delivered 14 million consultations nationally, including around 7 million consultations for problems like sore throats, sinusitis, shingles and uncomplicated urinary tract infections.
As a Labour MP, I want to see an NHS that is there when people need it – but that also makes better use of all the skilled professionals working within it. Our community pharmacists have an important role to play in that.
The principle is simple: if you can safely receive high-quality NHS care on your local high street, you shouldn't have to travel further or wait longer than necessary to get it.
Over the summer, I had the pleasure of visiting Clayton Pharmacy and touring their new location in the Herlington Centre. It gave us the opportunity to discuss some of the challenges faced by the sector, as well as the opportunities for the future. Local pharmacies are vital community assets, so it's great to see Clayton back open and serving residents.
Bringing more NHS care into our communities means making life easier for patients, supporting our hardworking GPs and pharmacists, and helping ensure that hospitals and A&E departments can concentrate on those who need them most.
That is good news for patients, good news for our local NHS and, most importantly, good news for residents across North West Cambridgeshire.