A walk-in service at community pharmacies where patients receive screening and point of care testing, with the aim of reducing low acuity GP appointments and inappropriate antibiotic prescribing.

“This is a great service. I didn’t know that I could get this test done at my pharmacy.”

Service User

Summary:
Severe Sore Throat Test-And-Treat is a walk-in service at community pharmacies where patients can receive screening and point of care testing for group A streptococci, which causes bacterial infections in the throat. If tested positive, patients can receive antibiotics from a pharmacist without the need to visit the GP. Patients using the service reported a highly positive experience, noting the convenience of having a local walk-in screening service compared to taking time off work to attend a GP consultation.

Challenge/problem identified:
Each year around 1.2 million people visit the GP with a sore throat, and recent studies show that 62% of these visits result in the prescribing of antibiotics. A service feasibility study has shown that less than 10% of people who present with a sore throat actually have a group A streptococci bacterial infection. In response to concerns of unnecessary GP visits for sore throats and the unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics for viral infections, the Sore Throat Test-And-Treat service was developed.

Impact:

• By providing an alternative pathway for patients, the service could remove the need for 800,000 GP consultations, if rolled out nationally, equating to £34 million each year
• The pathway can help to reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescribing by ensuring that only those with a confirmed infection receive antibiotics
• By providing effective and accessible care for patients, away from general practice, the new pathway could help to change public behaviour, reducing demand in Primary Care in the future

Fellow: Mark Ireland