Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will introduce a national minor ailments scheme as part of the Pharmacy Integration Fund, and if he will make a statement.

Minor ailment services are commissioned locally by the National Health Service according to need. The purpose of the Pharmacy Integration Fund (PhIF) is to try out and evaluate new ways of integrating pharmacists and community pharmacy into the wider health care system. National commissioning of NHS pharmaceutical services is arranged through the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework. In December 2017, under the PhIF, NHS England commenced a pilot urgent minor illness care pathway of direct referral from NHS 111 to community pharmacy. The outcome of this pilot will inform future commissioning decisions.