HARWICH and North Essex MP Sir Bernard Jenkin has welcomed a new policy that will see pharmacies give treatments without the need to visit a GPs.

But the Tory MP has warned about out-of-hours coverage for Harwich and Dovercourt.

Over 1,000 community pharmacies across the East of England will be providing treatment without the need to see a GP first for a range of common conditions.

While NHS England estimates up to one million appointments with GPs in the East of England can instead be done by pharmacists treating these common conditions which then allow “GPs to treat more serious illnesses”.

Sir Bernard, speaking in Parliament, said: “Can I very much welcome this initiative to encourage our pharmacies to provide more frontline health care for the population, which the population need to know about because very often they don't think of their pharmacy.”

Harwich and Manningtree Standard: Supportive - Sir Bernard Jenkin MP said he welcome the pharmacy first initiative Supportive - Sir Bernard Jenkin MP said he welcome the pharmacy first initiative (Image: Submitted)

“But can I also ask her what work the government is doing to look at large population centres like Harwich and Dovercourt which is over 20,000 people which have no out of hours pharmacy cover?”

Sir Jenkin added: “People have to make a round trip of an excess of 40 miles to collect a prescription on a Sunday, for example.

"Is there any work going on in the government to look at 24/7 coverage of pharmacy for larger population areas?  

Mrs Erskine, an accuracy checking technician at Oakley Pharmacy in Dovercourt, said with the shortage of GPs in the area that going forward, pharmacy-first “should be a good thing”.

Mrs Erskine explained how the pharmacy closes at 6pm as it is not under a “100 hours contract” which means the pharmacy opens roughly 8am to 11pm Monday to Saturday with reduced Sunday hours.

Having never heard of ‘24/7 coverage’, Mrs Erskine said: “I don’t think for small independent pharmacies, it’s something they can do going forward, it wouldn’t be financially viable”.

She added: “Sore throats and sore heads don’t need a prescription”.

“It’s education for the patient, you can be seen but you don’t need a prescription each and every time.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard: Common - Seven common conditions can be treated without a GP including sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bites, impetigo, shingles and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women under 65Common - Seven common conditions can be treated without a GP including sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bites, impetigo, shingles and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women under 65 (Image: PA)

Bill Rial, regional chief pharmacist for the NHS in the East of England said: “This major expansion of pharmacy services makes it more convenient for people to get help when they need it for a wider range of conditions, giving them more choice in where and how they access care.

“Highly trained pharmacists will be able to assess and treat patients for sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women (under the age of 65) without the need for an appointment or prescription.