Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of minor ailment schemes in community pharmacies on the costs associated with a reduction in the number of GP consultations as a result of those schemes; and if he will make a statement.

NHS England and clinical commissioning groups commission minor ailment services from community pharmacies to meet local need. These services have been developed in areas of high demand on general practices, to treat minor illnesses and are reviewed locally by the commissioner of the service.

Whilst the Government has not made an assessment of the impact of the costs associated with a reduction in the number of general practitioners consultations, Monitor in its publication in 2013 “Closing the NHS Funding Gap – How to get Better Value Healthcare for Patients” estimated that with a 1% uptake of pharmacy-led minor ailments schemes nationally, £64 million could be saved.