The pharmacy common ailments service in Wales saw 420,951 patients in the last 12 months, new figures from the Welsh Government have revealed.

This brings the total number of people who have accessed the service since it launched in 2013 to almost 1.25m.

The figures were shared in advance of a speech made in the Senedd by health secretary and Labour MS for Neath, Jeremy Miles.

He shared that 99% of pharmacies in Wales were now able to treat 28 conditions through the common ailments service, while around one third of the network now provided an independent prescribing service, which has seen 0.25m consultations since its launch in 2020.

Of those using the prescribing service, 95% said that they would have otherwise visited their GP, or other healthcare provider, had they not been able to access this service from their pharmacy, the Welsh Government said.

'Both of these pharmacy services provide fast and convenient access to care for a wide range of minor illnesses without the need for a GP appointment, supporting GP services to see people with more complex health needs,' Mr Miles said in the Senedd this week.

He cited the extra £9.9m funding added to the community pharmacy contractual framework this year.

And he said the Welsh Government intended to 'continue to make such changes' in primary care, including making legislative changes to enable pharmacy technicians to deliver clinical services.

'I’m clear that continuing to invest in and reform primary and community care services is the right thing to do for the public and for the wider NHS,' he said.

'One of my top priorities in the 2025-2028 NHS planning framework, which I published before Christmas, is building capacity in the community.

'I expect local plans to demonstrate action to continue to improve access to the right care, from the right health professional, in all communities right across Wales.

'But as we continue to make changes to improve services, we must ensure access is easy and consistent across Wales so that people understand where they can go to get the right care for their needs.'

Paying tribute to those working across primary and community care services, he added: 'Their continued commitment and resilience has been absolutely instrumental in the ongoing reform of services to improve access and outcomes for people right across Wales.'

Following the health secretary's statement, Conservative MS for Brecon and Radnorshire James Evans raised concerns that 'a lot of people' he had spoken to 'don't know about the common ailments service'.

'It's good to know what the Welsh Government is doing to promote that across the system,' he added.

Mr Miles responded that GP surgeries could play a part in directing patients to pharmacy services where appropriate, while public and pharmacy-led awareness campaigns were also needed.

Commenting on the changes introduced since 2022, community pharmacist Gwawr Davies-Jones, at High Street Pharmacy in Barry, said the pharmacist role 'had changed considerably' over the last few years.

'Instead of being in the dispensary, we are now in the consultation room for the most part of the day, offering clinical services. On average we undertake more than 20 consultations every day, ranging from providing contraception to emergency medicine supplies,' she said.

'The demand for advice on common conditions in the community is great, providing pharmacists with an opportunity to share advice and treatment with their patients, including prescribing antibiotics and other prescription-only medicines where indicated, without the need to see a GP, freeing up much needed appointments for people with more complex conditions.

'We feel we offer an invaluable service to our community.  The services we offer alleviate pressures on the NHS, providing great satisfaction to pharmacists knowing that they are doing their bit.'