Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the Pharmacy First scheme on access to primary care and patient outcomes.

Pharmacy First is demonstrating the value of community pharmacies in providing convenient care closer to home. Since its launch, pharmacies have delivered more than seven million clinical pathway consultations, enabling patients to access treatment for common conditions without needing a general practice appointment.

NHS England keeps the service under review, and a National Institute for Health and Care Research evaluation is formally assessing how Pharmacy First has been implemented across England, including its impact on access to care, prescribing in general practice, use of hospital services and outcomes for different patient groups.