Pharmacy first referrals rise as general practice reroutes demand
Community pharmacy is absorbing a growing share of minor illness consultations.
Referrals into community pharmacy for minor illness have risen sharply, with practices in several regions now routing a fixed proportion of same day requests.
Pharmacists report that the clinical work is manageable but the administrative burden of the service specification is not.
Funding remains the open question, and contractors say the current rate does not cover the consultation time involved.
Published 30 August 2026
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