Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of increasing the role that pharmacies have in treating patients with minor ailments to reduce pressure on GPs.

We are currently negotiating with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee on the expanded and additional services to be introduced in year four of the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework. The Framework set out the ambitions for community pharmacy to be further integrated in the National Health Service by providing more clinical services, treatment for minor illnesses and relieving pressure on other parts of the NHS, including primary care.

New clinical services have been introduced, including the Community Pharmacist Consultation Service where staff in general practices and NHS 111 can refer patients to community pharmacies for advice and treatment of minor illnesses.