Fewer than half of the pharmacies that originally signed up to deliver Pharmacy First in England were able to meet the thresholds when they rose to 20 in September and October.

The Pharmacist estimates that of the roughly 10,301 pharmacies that signed up to Pharmacy First when the service launched, just 4,328 were able to meet the threshold of 20 clinical pathway consultations required for a £1,000 monthly payment in September.

In October, this figure rose slightly to 4,904 pharmacies, but still represents less than half the network.

Winter ailments and UTIs drive October Pharmacy First lift

Sore throats, urinary tract infections (UTIs) and sinusitis were the most popular clinical pathways in October, bringing a combined total of 149,370 patients to Pharmacy First, the latest data from the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) suggests.

And while urgent repeat medicines supplies were the biggest contributor to Pharmacy First consultations in October, rates of referral seem to be slowing month on month, with just 60 more urgent medicine supplies made in October than in September.

And while minor illness referrals increased in the autumn, in October they were still down 19% from when the service began.

Urgent medicine supply referrals hit an all-time high in August at 134,619.

Speaking to The Pharmacist in July, Malcolm Harrison, chief executive of the Company Chemists' Association, said the summer increase 'will likely have been due to patients needing access to urgent care whilst away from home, for example, on holiday, and unable to access their GP'.

The latest NHSBSA data for the whole sector relates to claims submitted in October, but the CCA has suggested that Pharmacy First consultations rose by around 10% in the week before Christmas, with one pharmacist then noting an increase in sore throat and UTI consultations.