A pioneering NHS community pharmacy prescribing programme, which allows specially trained pharmacists to diagnose and prescribe treatment for a range of common conditions without patients needing a GP appointment, has been extended for a further 12 months across Nottinghamshire and neighbouring areas.
The Community Pharmacy Independent Prescribing Pathfinder Programme, which began as a national pilot funded by NHS England, will now continue until March 2027 as part of a wider regional scheme covering Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire – but not everybody is happy.
The service is designed to improve access to care for on the day illnesses such as chest infections, ear infections, oral thrush and skin infections, while helping to ease pressure on GP surgeries and urgent care services.
In Nottinghamshire alone, participating pharmacies delivered more than 1,100 independent prescribing consultations in 2025 with patient feedback showing very high levels of satisfaction.
Despite the extension being welcomed locally, politicians, providers and clinicians have raised concerns that new limits on activity risk reducing the impact of the service at a time of rising demand.
James Naish, MP for Rushcliffe, said: “It is welcome news that this prescribing pilot has been extended locally and across the wider region, reflecting the strong results it has delivered in improving access to care and reducing pressure on GP services.
“However, there is still more to do to make the most of its potential. Independent prescribers in our community are already trained and capable of delivering more care but new limits risk holding the service back from achieving its full impact.
“If this model is working well and the evidence locally suggests that it is, we should be looking to expand it further and ensure it is properly embedded in the NHS for the long term so patients can benefit from faster, more convenient treatment closer to home.”
David Evans, Chief Pharmacist and Managing Director at Evans Pharmacy, said: “While we welcome the continuation of the service, the cap on activity means that we are only able to see 30% of the number of patients that we have historically, which will mean that we will need to ration the service and be more selective regarding the patients we prioritise and treat. This is far from ideal, especially with several public holidays looming in May, where demand often peaks, and will only serve to put more patients back into the system for assessment by urgent care services.”
GP leaders have also highlighted the benefits of the Independent Prescriber Programme in supporting general practice and improving patient flow. Dr Asifa Akhtar, GP Partner at Village Health Group, said: “At Village Health Group, the Independent Prescribing Pathfinder has made a meaningful difference to how we manage on-the-day demand.
“Having a pharmacist prescriber embedded within our system allows us to direct patients to the most appropriate clinician at the right time, improving both access and efficiency. It supports our successful total triage model by ensuring that minor illness presentations are managed promptly and safely, freeing up GP capacity for more complex cases.
“This collaborative approach has strengthened multidisciplinary working and ultimately enhanced patient care across the practice.”
The extension forms part of wider NHS efforts to shift more care from hospitals into community settings and make better use of the skills of the wider primary care workforce. James Naish MP has committed to re-engaging ministers to promote the adoption of a joined-up, national approach to independent prescribing as soon as possible.
