20.10.14
Treating common illnesses at pharmacies could save NHS £1bn
Treating common ailments like coughs, sore throats and upset stomachs at pharmacies could save the NHS over £1bn a year, according to a new report from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS).
The study says that A&E visits could be cut by 650,000 and GP consultations by 18 million if NHS England was to provide a national common ailment service through community pharmacies.
While minor ailment centres are common in Scotland and Northern Ireland, only a third of English pharmacies have them. Wales is trialling the service ahead of evaluations next year.
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.
“Pharmacists are central to relieving the ever-increasing demand on A&E and GPs, enabling them to focus their skills on diagnosing and treating patients needing their care.
“Fast, same-day access to community pharmacists will be of huge benefit to patients, doctors, nurses and the bank balance of the NHS.”
According to the study, the cost of treating common ailments in community pharmacies was found to be £29.30 per patient. The cost of treating the same problems at A&E was found to be nearly five times higher at £147.09 per patient and nearly three times higher at GP practices at £82.34 per patient.
Treatment results were found to be equally good regardless of whether patients were treated at a pharmacy, A&E or GP practice.
The Society say the new pharmacy clinics could deal with ailments such as respiratory problems, sore throat, cough, cold or sinus problems, stomach problems such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation, and eye problems.
In addition to saving money, they would also ease the pressure in demand for GP appointments and A&E visits.
Lead researcher Dr Margaret Watson from the University of Aberdeen said: “Treating these common problems places a substantial burden on A&E and GP services, especially over the winter period. This can increase waiting times, reduce availability of care for more serious conditions and incurs much greater expenditure on treatment than necessary.
“We must make the best use of NHS resources and give people the right advice in the right place, whilst making the most of the skills of NHS staff. You don’t need an A&E consultation to treat a short-term cough or a simple upset stomach.”
The College of Emergency Medicine has backed the idea of more pharmacy care for common and minor illnesses. Dr Clifford Mann, president of the College, said that A&E pressure is a real concern for the NHS and patients turning to pharmacists for help with common ailments would be an “important step”.
Keith Ridge, chief pharmaceutical officer for NHS England, said: “Community pharmacy is a crucial part of NHS England’s vision to deliver urgent care closer to people’s homes. This report provides further evidence to demonstrate that patients can receive timely advice and treatment for minor conditions such as coughs and colds from their local pharmacy, rather than going to a GP or to A&E."
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