BMA reminds GPs to ‘signpost patients to pharmacy’

GPs have been reminded that they operate within a wider healthcare system and should ‘signpost patients to their local community pharmacy’ where appropriate, in a statement from the British Medical Association (BMA).

The union also said that while general practice and emergency medicine services were at ‘breaking point’, community pharmacy is also under ‘huge pressure’.

The comments come after a letter was erroneously sent to local GPs by members of the union, urging them not to refer patients to Pharmacy First – ‘a scheme that has significant potential to undermine us’ – but to A&E instead.

It claimed that integrated care boards (ICBs) and NHS England want patients to be seen by ‘less-skilled people’ to ‘enable the steady downgrading of patient expectations’.

‘The letter was sent in error and does not represent BMA position’

The now-retracted letter, seen by our sister publication Pulse, was sent by regional GP leaders in the northeast and north Cumbria. It was co-authored by Dr Becky Haines, a member of the BMA’s national GP committee, and Dr Paul Evans, a Gateshead GP who sits on the BMA’s UK council.

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The BMA said the letter was ‘sent in error’ without the knowledge of its authors, and that the union had no role in its drafting or dissemination. ‘Its content does not represent the position of the BMA or the general practitioners committee (GPC) England,’ it said.

A statement from BMA council chair Dr Tom Dolphin and BMA GPs committee England chair Dr Katie Bramall added: ‘We recognise both general practice and emergency medicine are at breaking point. But we remind practices that they operate within a wider healthcare system which needs to do more to support urgent unmet patient need.

‘Our advice remains that if capacity is reached, practices should signpost patients to NHS 111, their local Community Pharmacy – also under huge pressure – urgent care centres and walk-in centres. Emergency departments should only be attended when absolutely necessary.’

A spokesperson for the North East and North Cumbria ICB said the contents of the withdrawn letter were ‘inappropriate and do not reflect our views or that of the wider NHS’.

‘Driven by the aspirations of the Government's 10-year Health Plan, the NHS is undergoing a period of transformational change.  Our colleagues in primary care are working extremely hard to deliver for their patients and as an ICB we are fully committed in supporting them and the wider healthcare system to that end,’ they added.

‘We want to work with colleagues across primary care’

Chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association (IPA) Dr Leyla Hannbeck said on social media that she was ‘shocked’ by the comments made in the letter.

‘The NHS can only meet patient demand by working together and local pharmacies are an essential part of the mix,’ Dr Hannbeck wrote.

‘As the “front door” of the NHS, pharmacies play a key role and Pharmacy First enables them to provide patients with appropriate immediate treatment for a range of minor conditions.’

She added: ‘If we are to deliver the Neighbourhood Health Service patients deserve, GPs need to work collaboratively with their local pharmacists. Our collective focus should be seeking a better budget for primary care.’

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Also commenting on the situation, Henry Gregg, chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association, said: ‘It’s extremely disappointing if some senior figures in the BMA want to divert people away from the successful and popular Pharmacy First service. That would not help patients and fly in the face of everyone’s ambition to enhance access to neighbourhood health services for in our communities.

‘We want to work with our colleagues across primary care including general practice to improve neighbourhood services for patients and ensure all healthcare professionals – including expert community pharmacists and general practitioners – work collaboratively to serve their communities.’

He described Pharmacy First as a convenient, safe and effective service that works well to support GPs in an expanded form in Scotland.

‘We understand the pressure both community pharmacy and general practice faces but we won’t find solutions by pitting professional against professional,’ he added, emphasising the importance of collaboration across primary care and the need to ‘put any differences aside’.

CPE ‘very troubled by combative approach’

Meanwhile, Community Pharmacy England (CPE) chief executive Janet Morrison said the negotiator was ‘very troubled’ by the ‘combative approach’ within the now-retracted letter.

‘The approach taken by these GPs suggests a total disregard for patients and for other health professionals, and does nothing to help resolve the ongoing crisis in the health service,’ she added.

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‘As everyone in community pharmacy knows, Pharmacy First is supporting patients and helping to improve access to GP appointments – it is no surprise that the public wants to see pharmacies doing more services like this in the future.

‘This is yet another example showing exactly why we need to see more coherent national commissioning of services which support collaboration between all healthcare professionals.’

Last week, CPE confirmed details for the two required national health campaigns in 2025/26, which will promote the Pharmacy First service to the public.