Only 52% of adults in the UK visit a pharmacist “as a first step for medical advice for a self-treatable condition”, according to a report published this week (July 24).

The Proprietary Association of Great Britain (PAGB), which represents manufacturers of over-the-counter (OTC) medications, said that this figure has declined since 2022 when it stood at 69%.

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Pharmacist and adviser to the PAGB Mark Burdon said that “it is concerning to see that fewer people are seeking advice from pharmacists” for self-treatable conditions such as colds, headaches, coughs, blocked noses and backache.

“It feels like we’ve lost some of the progress that was made during the COVID-19 pandemic to drive confidence in the healthcare services and self-care support available outside of GP surgeries and hospitals,” he added.

 

Self-care attitudes

 

The report noted that the Pharmacy First scheme introduced in England this year “has been a positive step” in enhancing the role of pharmacy in primary care, but 46% of the 4,000 people surveyed for the report were “unaware of the scheme”.

But there has been a 17 percentage point increase from 2023 in people who have been directed to “self-care” by their GPs, with 75% of appointments for self-treatable conditions resulting in “advice to use OTC medicine”, it said.

Read more: Nearly 90% of patients report 'good' pharmacy experience, reveals NHS

It found that attitudes towards self-care differ between age groups, with 23% of those aged 25 to 34 “strongly” agreeing they would try to get a GP appointment for a self-treatable condition rather than self-care or visit a pharmacist, compared with just 9% of those aged 65 or older.

PAGB chief executive Michelle Riddalls said that self-care is “integral to building a sustainable healthcare system for the future” and this can be achieved by “fully integrating pharmacy’s role in primary care”.

Read more: Free OTCs for vulnerable Londoners under new pharmacy service

The report also found that:

• 32% of adults have been directed to consult with a pharmacist for their self-treatable condition, either by their GP or NHS 111 services - an increase of 8 percentage points since last year

• 76% of adults said they see their pharmacist as a “trusted health information source”

• 73% of people agreed that pharmacists should be able to update medical records to include their advice and/or treatment recommendations – up from 65% in 2023

• 35% of adults said they would like to be able to speak to their pharmacist on the phone or via video call, as they want better remote access to pharmacists’ advice

 

POM to P

 

Meanwhile, the report noted that almost three-quarters (74%) of a adults wanted “more medicines available from a pharmacy without a prescription”, such as OTC medication for common self-treatable conditions such as acne and eczema as well as “widened access” to antibiotics and pain relief.

Riddalls added that “for every 5% of total NHS prescribing and spending that could be switched to OTC medicines, the NHS could save £1.4bn”.

Read more: Nearly half of patients ‘unaware’ of Pharmacy First, survey reveals

It comes as the report said that 89% of adults are “confident” in using OTC medicines to manage their conditions - up 8 percentage points from last year - and 72% of adults have taken OTC medicines “between one and 10 times in the last year to self-care”.

And it found that 9% of adults have asked pharmacists for cheaper OTC alternatives to prescription medication, as 44% of those surveyed said the cost-of-living crisis has “impacted their ability to pay” the NHS prescription charge.