A national newspaper headline about obtaining antibiotics through Pharmacy First has been changed following concerns raised by the sector's negotiator, The Pharmacist can reveal.

The article, published yesterday (11 November) on the Mail Online, was originally headlined 'Revealed: What you need to say to a pharmacist to get antibiotics for your sore throat'.

And it shared details of the the clinical pathway flowchart that pharmacists use to make decisions about how to treat a patient presenting with a sore throat, following the Pharmacy First patient group directions (PGDs).

The article described patients as 'scoring points' if they visited the pharmacist within three days of symptoms beginning.

But following petitions by Community Pharmacy England (CPE), the headline has now been revised to: 'Got a sore throat? You pharmacist CAN give you antibiotics, but you'll need to answer these five questions first...'

CPE told The Pharmacist: 'Pharmacists are healthcare professionals who will only provide antibiotics when clinically appropriate to do so. Most patients will be aware that anti-microbial stewardship is vitally important to a robust healthcare system.

'However, we were concerned about the potential for the headline to mislead – particularly when we’ve been working to create an image of pharmacists as highly trained healthcare professionals who provide clinical services in a responsible way.'

The negotiator said it had raised its concerns with the Mail, following which changes were made to the headline.

'Misguided at best'

Dr Graham Stretch, president of the Primary Care Pharmacy Association, suggested the original headline was ‘misguided at best and may be dangerous’.

He highlighted the 'serious' potential consequences of patients using unnecessary antibiotics, including 'resistant infections, unjustified side effects and will contribute to the global anti-microbial resistance crisis'.

And he said that the issue was not confined to Pharmacy First, as it might be used by patients in general practice or urgent care.

James Davies, Royal Pharmaceutical Society director for England, said: ‘Pharmacists are experts in medicines and have long played a big role in antimicrobial stewardship by enabling people to self-care, and also by advising how to get the best out of antibiotics when prescribed.

‘The clinical pathways for Pharmacy First were written by medical experts and ensure antibiotics are only provided for sore throats when necessary to safeguard against antimicrobial resistance.

‘It’s essential for patients to be honest about their symptoms so that pharmacists can provide them with accurate advice and the most appropriate treatment.’

Meanwhile, Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association (IPA), commented: 'Clinical decisions are best made by highly qualified pharmacists.'

She said that 'with proper funding', the sector 'can deliver', and urged the government 'to make sustainable investment in community pharmacies a cornerstone of the 10-year NHS plan'.

The Mail Online was contacted for comment.