New survey shows rise in pharmacy use and support for wider role

More people are visiting pharmacies for health advice in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new survey has found.
In a poll by PAGB, the consumer healthcare association, 47% of respondents said they turned to their local pharmacist for ‘initial advice or medication’ for a self-treatable condition – up from 37% in 2020.

Headache and backache remain the most commonly-experienced health conditions reported by respondents (see table 1, below) but colds and coughs have moved into the top five, replacing allergies and heartburn/indigestion.

Colds top the list of conditions that people are comfortable treating by themselves, with 94% saying they are confident practising self care for cold symptoms, followed by coughs (83%) and headaches (79%)

The UK-wide survey of more than 2,000 people asked respondents about their attitudes to self care and accessing health services in the 12 months to June 2021, when coronavirus-related lockdown measures were in force to varying degrees.

More than one in four (27%) said the pandemic had changed their attitude towards self care while around four out of ten (41%) said it had changed their attitude to accessing health services generally.

Comments included: “It’s made me realise it’s not always essential to go to a GP or A&E” and “I look up online or ask a pharmacist”.

The survey results, published by PAGB ahead of International Self Care Day on 24 July, show that:

– Almost a third of those (31%) who would not have consulted a pharmacist as their first option before the COVID-19 pandemic said they would be more likely to do so in future

– More than half of respondents (55%) believe pharmacists should be able to update people’s medical records

– Almost seven out of ten people (69%) support the idea of GP surgeries referring patients to a pharmacist if appropriate for a self-treatable condition, rather than arranging a GP consultation

Michelle Riddalls, CEO of PAGB, said: “Our findings underline the contribution of pharmacists in supporting self care and in helping to ease pressure on NHS resources such as GP appointments.

“We want to ensure that the shift towards appropriate self care witnessed during the pandemic is maintained, and there is no doubt that pharmacists have a key role to play in achieving that goal.

“We hope the level of support in our survey for broadening pharmacy access to medical records and for pharmacists’ right to refer to other healthcare professionals will help drive these issues up the agenda, particularly at a time when the Government is looking to integrate different parts of the health system more fully through its new Health and Care Bill and its recently-published Data Strategy.”

GP Dr Sarah Jarvis said: “Pharmacists are an invaluable and integral part of our healthcare system. Their training and expertise mean they are ideally placed to advise people about self care and self-treatment options. They are also in a perfect position to recognise when further medical advice might be necessary from a GP or other healthcare professional.

“Allowing pharmacists the right to update medical records and to refer people to fellow healthcare professionals would be a hugely positive step towards integrating different parts of the primary healthcare system.

“It would also send a clear signal that pharmacists have the necessary skills, qualifications and authority to play a key role in individuals’ healthcare – as a GP, it makes perfect sense that they should be in the same position as GPs, practice nurses, practice-based pharmacists and others who are empowered to see and update patients’ medical records.”

​​​​​​​Table 1

Top ten self-treatable conditions experienced by PAGB survey respondents

Table 2

Which conditions do you feel confident treating by yourself?