Tories prescribe plan for pharmacies to help tackle ‘GP crisis’

Pharmacies could open 24 hours a day, with staff trained to prescribe medication, in a bid to tackle Scotland’s GP “crisis”, the Conservatives have suggested.

Tory health spokesman Miles Briggs said the measures in the party’s pharmacy plan would help alleviate the pressure on family doctors.

Making pharmacies a “key partner in primary health care” could help ensure better patient care, he argued.

The Conservative MSP unveiled the new plans – which would see pharmacies open extended hours, with staff able to treat more common ailments – during a visit to Dears Pharmacy in Edinburgh.

It comes after NHS bosses in Greater Glasgow and Clyde were forced to close three-quarters of overnight out-of-hours services in June, due to a temporary shortage of GPs who were willing to work.

In May the Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland released details of a survey which said 22% of GPs struggle to cope due to stress at least once a week.

Mr Briggs hit out at the Scottish Government, saying under the SNP “a crisis has developed in our GP services, and we need to start looking at ways to alleviate the pressure”.

He added: “Pharmacies are in an ideal position to help, and that’s why we want to see them become a key partner in primary health care.

“By increasing their capabilities and allowing them to become trained prescribers we can allow pharmacies to treat common ailments more speedily.

“And by exploring the introduction of extended hours for pharmacies, including in 24-hour supermarkets, we can help provide immediate help around the clock.”

The Scottish Government said it had put forward plans for increasing access to pharmacies last year.

A spokesman for Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “Pharmacists with advanced clinical skills are being integrated into GP practices and by 2021 all GP practices will have access to this service. Community pharmacists can already supply urgent prescribed medicine to patients out of hours.”