Last year saw a substantial jump in the number of medicines issued through Pharmacy First clinical consultations, figures show.
The number of items issued during Pharmacy First consultations for seven common conditions including sinusitis, acute otitis media and sore throat increased by 32% in 2025/26, according to figures published by the NHS Business Services Authority.
Overall, there were 2.49 million items issued during Pharmacy First clinical pathway consultations last year the data shows.
The cost of medicines provided under the scheme was £8.2 million, the figures show, alongside a further £13m for minor illness and urgent medicine supply pathways.
It equates to a 23% rise in the medicines bill for Pharmacy First at £21.2m compared with £17.3m in 2024/25, the NHSBSA report said.
Last month it was announced that five new areas had been added to the Pharmacy First scheme, with eligible pharmacies now able to prescribe medications for acne and migraine.
Joining the original conditions of acute otitis media, impetigo, infected insect bites, shingles, sinusitis, sore throat, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections are low frequency episodic migraine in adults, seasonal allergic rhinitis in children, acute otitis externa in adults, mild to moderate acne in young people and adults and mild skin and soft tissue infections and scabies.
The additions are part of the updated pharmacy contract which comes as the first cohort of pharmacists automatically graduating with an independent prescribing qualification enter the workforce.
It follows a commitment in The Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) 2026/27 agreement to introduce a national NHS prescribing service from community pharmacy, as an extension of Pharmacy First and the pharmacy contraception service beginning this autumn.
The Government has said expanding prescribing in pharmacies will ease pressure on GPs with new rules also stating that pharmacists will be able to prescribe alternative medicines during shortages where agreed arrangements are in place with the original prescriber.
Earlier this year, the pharmacists’ regulator raised concerns about cases where antibiotics had been supplied inappropriately through Pharmacy First.
Pharmacists also received £30.8m for fees associated with initiation, ongoing supply and emergency supply of oral contraception, the NHSBSA report said.
Last year, the number of flu vaccines provided by pharmacies increased from 4.07 million to 4.61 million between 2024/25 and 2025/26 – still under the peak of 5 million seen in 2022/23 after a big jump up after the pandemic when the service was expanded.
Earlier this year Pulse revealed that GP practices across the country were considering not signing up to provide flu vaccinations amid concerns that the programme is ‘no longer financially viable’.