More than 1,100 patients in Nottinghamshire have received same-day treatment for minor illnesses through a pioneering community pharmacy prescribing pilot – but its future now hangs in the balance.
Between April and December 2025, three pilot sites in Nottinghamshire carried out 1,118 consultations under a Community Pharmacy Independent Prescriber trial. An independent prescriber is a pharmacist authorised to assess, diagnose and prescribe medicines for certain conditions independently, without the patient needing to visit a GP.
At Evans Pharmacy in East Leake, Rushcliffe, one of the three pilot sites, just 5% of patients seen by an independent prescriber subsequently needed to be referred to a GP, demonstrating the significant role pharmacies can play in easing pressure on local surgeries. Conditions such as coughs, chest infections and adult ear pain – often cited as contributors to demand in accident and emergency units – are covered by the Independent Prescriber trial.
National funding from NHS England for the trial ended on 31 December 2025. Recognising the value of the service to local communities, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) stepped in to fund an extension through to 31 March 2026. However, there is currently no confirmed national funding to roll the service out more widely or continue the existing pilots beyond that date.
James Naish, MP for Rushcliffe, raised independent prescribing in the House of Commons, highlighting the success of the trial locally and the uncertainty facing pharmacies after March, most of which want to offer more services to local communities to help reduce pressure on GP surgeries and hospitals.
He: “It’s brilliant to have pharmacies like Evans here in Rushcliffe, helping patients every day. Independent prescribing is clearly working – with the vast majority of patients treated quickly and safely without needing to see a GP. But after March, there is no clear funding or guidance for independent prescribing, and this uncertainty risks undermining a service that is delivering real benefits for patients and easing pressure on local doctors. I will continue pressing for clarity and long-term support from the Government.”
Evans Pharmacy believes that the Government should be putting independent prescribing on a national footing. David Evans, Chief Pharmacist and Managing Director at Evans Pharmacy, said: “It is disappointing that, after the NHS independent prescribing pharmacy service has been well received and shown to be successful at both a local and national level, we still have no clarity on its future.
• Pharmacy First delivers faster NHS care for patients in Nottinghamshire
“Operationally, it is very difficult to turn the resource needed to staff the service on and off at such short notice, and it will ultimately impact on the service we are able to provide to patients.
“I am also concerned that we have over 2,500 NHS community pharmacy graduates qualifying this summer with the prescribing skills and qualification embedded into their licence to practise. They could really help reduce pressure on the NHS, but they will be unable to use this for any NHS service without the national scheme being both continued and expanded. To me, this seems to be a missed opportunity to relieve pressure on primary and secondary care services – which is why we welcome parliamentary focus on this matter.”
The success of independent prescribing locally comes as efforts continue to raise awareness of Pharmacy First, which allows patients to receive NHS-funded advice and treatment for seven common conditions directly from pharmacies without needing a GP appointment. The conditions are:
I – Infected insect bites
S – Sore throats
S – Sinusitis
U – Uncomplicated UTIs
E – Earache
I – Impetigo
S – Shingles
Recent research commissioned by Asda Pharmacy found that 50% of UK adults are unsure which symptoms can be treated through Pharmacy First, and nearly half had not heard of the service before. As a result, Asda Pharmacy has launched its “ISSUE IS” awareness campaign to help families identify when Pharmacy First is the right choice for conditions including infected insect bites, sore throats, sinusitis, uncomplicated UTIs, earache, impetigo and shingles.
