Patients in England will be able to access more treatments directly from local pharmacies under a new £340 million NHS funding agreement designed to reduce pressure on GPs and hospitals.
From autumn 2026, qualified community pharmacists with independent prescribing credentials will be allowed to assess patients and prescribe medicines without requiring a GP referral. The move expands the government’s Pharmacy First programme, which already offers treatment for a range of common illnesses through pharmacies.
Ministers said the changes would speed up access to care, reduce bureaucracy and shift more NHS services onto the high street.
The agreement, announced by the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, is part of wider plans to move healthcare delivery away from hospitals and into community settings under the government’s 10 Year Health Plan.
Care Minister Stephen Kinnock said independent prescribing would “ease pressures on GPs” while helping patients receive treatment closer to home.
NHS England said the expanded role for pharmacists would improve access to medicines and make better use of clinical expertise already available in community pharmacies.
Under the changes, patients with common conditions affecting areas such as the ears, throat, eyes and skin will increasingly be treated directly by pharmacists, reducing the need for appointments at GP surgeries, urgent treatment centres and A&E departments.
The government said more than 3.3 million Pharmacy First consultations were carried out between March 2025 and February 2026 — a 43% increase on the previous year. NHS data also showed that 86% of patients reported a positive experience using the service.
The funding package was agreed with Community Pharmacy England, which described the reforms as a “first step” towards making fuller use of pharmacists’ clinical skills.
Alongside the prescribing rollout, ministers highlighted a series of recent pharmacy-led healthcare initiatives, including free NHS access to the morning-after pill, expanded mental health support for patients prescribed antidepressants, and additional blood pressure screening services.
Industry leaders said the deal also acknowledged longstanding financial pressures facing the pharmacy sector.
Malcolm Harrison, chief executive of the Company Chemists’ Association, described independent prescribing as a “generational opportunity” for pharmacies to provide broader patient care.
Independent prescribing services are expected to begin nationally in autumn 2026.
