Hackney's community pharmacies are set to significantly expand their healthcare offerings with the introduction of new prescribing services from autumn 2026. This development, discussed at a Health in Hackney Scrutiny Commission meeting, will empower pharmacists to prescribe for a wider range of conditions, aiming to alleviate pressure on GP services.
Shilpa Shah, CEO of Community Pharmacy North East London, informed the commission that pharmacists will soon be able to prescribe for conditions such as bacterial conjunctivitis, allergic conjunctivitis, oral thrush, skin infections, and respiratory tract infections. This expansion of services is part of a significant shift in the role of community pharmacies, which are increasingly being recognised as accessible first points of contact within the NHS.
From October, independent prescribing services focused on contraception and pharmacy first services will be introduced. Shah indicated that the list of conditions for which pharmacists can prescribe will expand further from autumn 2026, with current considerations including bacterial conjunctivitis, allergic conjunctivitis, oral thrush, skin infections, and respiratory tract infections. We would love to see community pharmacy being able to do more,
Shah stated, expressing a desire to see government support for future services such as vaccinations, medication reviews, and health screening.
The integration of these new services is intended to alleviate pressure on GPs
and release capacity from our GP colleagues who are really, really overwhelmed at the moment.
Shah added that The more we can do in community pharmacy means that GPs release capacity so they can do more, which in turn means that hopefully people won't need to go to A&E or to hospital to be treated.
While this suggests a shift in workload and a reduction in pressure on GPs, the specific impact on community pharmacy workload and staffing requirements is not detailed, though an increase in clinical responsibilities is implied.
Shah noted that while the independent prescribing training for pharmacists takes six months, the full integration of this service across all pharmacies could take up to a year. She estimates that by October, we'll be starting the journey. And within a year, I'd like to say that the majority of pharmacies will have a independent prescriber working in there.
Shah explained that some pharmacies will be ready to go immediately upon the release of the service specification, while others will require pharmacists to complete the six-month training. The aim is to avoid a two tier system
where service availability varies between pharmacies, encouraging all businesses to reach the desired level of service provision.
The training for an individual pharmacist to become an independent prescriber involves a six-month course, including 90 hours under supervision. Shah emphasised that pharmacists will not be expected to prescribe immediately after training if they do not feel confident, stating, we don't want them prescribing straight away if they're not happy, they still got to read and make sure that they're really happy with what they're doing.
The meeting did not explicitly detail a standardized training or certification process beyond this initial course for ongoing competency in the new prescribing areas.
The commission also heard about other services community pharmacies currently provide, including support for minor illnesses, hospital discharge summaries, and free oral and emergency contraception.
Further details on the Health in Hackney Scrutiny Commission meeting can be found in the Public reports pack.
