Pharmacists in England will be able to prescribe antibiotics without GP approval from next year

From next year England’s pharmacists will be allowed to prescribe a wider array of drugs—including antibiotics—without involving a GP, as part of a nationwide pilot scheme funded by NHS England.Currently, pharmacists in England who have completed independent prescriber training can prescribe only a very limited number of drugs and cannot prescribe antibiotics without involving a GP. But the pilot scheme, revealed by the Pharmaceutical Journal,1 will allow prescribing pharmacists to cover a wider range of treatments including hypertension, high cholesterol, contraception, and minor illnesses.The Department of Health and Social Care has said that data from Scotland indicate that allowing pharmacists to prescribe antibiotics for urinary tract infections alone could save 400 000 GP appointments a year and a total of £8.4m.Gareth Jones, director of corporate affairs at the National Pharmacy Association, told the Pharmaceutical Journal that the scheme should become “commonplace in community pharmacies,” as it would lead to a…
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