News | Minor ailments

News

Most respiratory infections treated with OTCs and self-care under Pharmacy Quality Scheme

Researchers revealed that the most common over-the-counter treatments accepted by patients were pain relief medication, expectorant cough syrups, throat lozenges and oral decongestants.…

Published: 21 November 2025

News

Health news round-up: men’s health, AMR and nuclear fuel turned cancer drug

A weekly summary of important developments in health news that you may have missed.…

Published: 21 November 2025

News

APPG calls for Pharmacy First to be national walk-in service

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pharmacy’s report on the future of community pharmacy in England warned that “without urgent reform, patients will lose access to vital services”.…

Published: 20 November 2025

News

Health news round-up: medicines in pregnancy, new cardiovascular research and a surprising study on coffee and atrial fibrillation

Senior clinical reporter Joanna Robertson summarises some important developments in health news you may have missed from this week.…

Published: 14 November 2025

News

Pharmacy First data included in AMR report for first time

The most dispensed antimicrobials through the Pharmacy First service in its first 11 months to December 2024 were phenoxymethylpenicillin, nitrofurantoin, flucloxacillin and amoxicillin.…

Published: 13 November 2025

News

Health news round-up: Vaccines, male contraception and medicines mix-ups

Senior clinical reporter Joanna Robertson summarises some important developments in health news you may have missed.…

Published: 7 November 2025

Feature

The role of pharmacy in delivering the NHS ten-year health plan

Attendees at a roundtable hosted by The Pharmaceutical Journal agreed that effective horizon scanning is needed to establish what the pressures on the health service would be in a decade’s time and the need for pharmacy organisations to work together to help shape the future.…

Published: 5 November 2025

News

Extra funding announced for community pharmacy independent prescribing

Scottish community pharmacies that employ an independent prescribing pharmacist will also be able to claim for Pharmacy First Plus services without meeting the 25 hours per week availability threshold.…

Published: 4 November 2025

News

Community pharmacy campaign launched to ease winter pressures on NHS

NHS Wales’ ‘Help Us to Help You’ campaign promotes use of the common ailments service in community pharmacies via TV, radio and social media advertisements.…

Published: 3 November 2025

News

NHS England tells care boards to ‘maximise’ Pharmacy First in planning guidance

Under NHS England’s multi-year planning framework, integrated care boards must also introduce prescribing-based services into community pharmacies in 2026/2027.…

Published: 27 October 2025