England expands Pharmacy First to treat migraines, acne and ear infections
People in England can now walk into a local chemist and receive immediate treatment for five additional conditions, including low-frequency migraines and acne, without first seeing a GP.
From the coming autumn, NHS England’s Pharmacy First scheme will let patients obtain on-the-spot prescriptions for five extra conditions—low-frequency migraines in adults, hay fever or allergic rhinitis in children, adult ear infections, mild to moderate acne, and mild skin infections or scabies—beyond the seven ailments already covered such as sore throat and urinary tract infection. The initiative, intended to ease the workload of overburdened GPs and accident-and-emergency units after a record-busy summer, will start with several hundred community pharmacies before scaling to thousands nationwide.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham highlighted the benefit of saving time and reducing work absences. The Migraine Trust welcomed the faster care pathway, while the National Pharmacy Association cautioned that current government funding does not fully offset the added workload. The scheme builds on a 2024 pilot that has already delivered 14 million consultations across England, and mirrors similar programs operating in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Why it matters
It gives patients quicker, local access to treatment and helps relieve strain on doctors and hospitals.
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