New Pharmacy First analysis has suggested pharmacists are treating antimicrobial stewardship with ‘utmost importance’ and only supplying antibiotics ‘when appropriate’.

On average, two-thirds (66%) of patients attending pharmacies for earaches, bladder infections, sore throats, sinusitis, infected insect bites or impetigo are provided antibiotics, according to a new report by the Company Chemists’ Association (CCA).

Actual supply rates are deemed to be ‘even lower’ given that many patients are pre-screened and do not hit the gateway point for the conditions before pharmacy consultations.

For a new report published today, the CCA analysed data from more than 150,000 anonymised patient consultation records from around 3,000 member pharmacies for August and September 2024.

According to the CCA, the research provides evidence that pharmacists are treating antimicrobial stewardship with ‘utmost seriousness’.

This backs up the view of NHS England that the Pharmacy First scheme would not contribute to antimicrobial resistance.

The CCA report covers six of the common clinical conditions covered under Pharmacy First: earaches, bladder infections, sore throats, sinusitis, infected insect bites and impetigo.

Although shingles is also included in the service, it was excluded from the study because it is a viral infection and cannot be treated by antibiotics.

The research suggested that of all patients attending pharmacies for the six conditions, on average, 66% were provided antibiotics.

This ranged from 35% for ear infections, 41% for sinusitis, 59% for sore throat, 65% for impetigo, 76% for insect bites and 79% for UTIs.

Some 88% of antibiotics supplied through Pharmacy First were first-line treatments.

The data also showed that when alternative treatment was available, fewer than half of patients received oral antibiotics.

Malcolm Harrison, chief executive of the CCA, said: ‘Pharmacists are treating their role as antimicrobial stewards with the utmost importance, supplying antibiotics only when appropriate.’

The CCA is now calling for the integration of independent prescribing into Pharmacy First.

The association also wants to see the number of treatment options for the seven clinical conditions expanded, along with the number of conditions covered to include lower back pain, respiratory tract infections, skin conditions and conjunctivitis.

In addition, the CCA wants pharmacies commissioned to capture information on the attendance of patients who do not meet ‘gateway’ criteria.

Mr Harrison said: ‘This accounts for a large and rising, but ultimately unfunded workload to pharmacy teams.

‘Collection of this data will allow us to measure the impact of this unfunded work but also develop our understanding of antibiotic provision.’

According to the CCA report, rates of antibiotic supply were lower than or in line with prescribing rates in general practice for four of the five conditions, with infected insect bites not included in the GP figures.

A recent study published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy found that a pharmacy-led sore throat treatment service in Wales resulted in fewer same-day antibiotic prescriptions than those given during GP consultations.