North East pharmacies are trialling a new scheme to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs) without needing a doctor's appointment to make the process quicker and easier for patients.
More than 40% of women will suffer from a UTI over their lifetime - and according to NHS bosses in the North East and North Cumbria, 75,000 women between the ages of 16 and 64 went to their GP with one in the last six months. A UTI can cause burning and pain while urinating along with an increased need to head for the loo.
Now, for "uncomplicated" UTIs, those affected are encouraged to head straight for their pharmacy. During a six month pilot programme, pharmacists will be able to offer advice and treatment for the causes of UTIs without the need for a GP appointment or prescription. Previously, pharmacists have only been able to provide over-the-counter treatments.
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Dawn Cruickshank - a superintendent pharmacist and chair of Community Pharmacy County Durham - added: "Patients are now using pharmacies much more as their first port of call for many minor ailments since start of the pandemic. This new pilot means that for the large number of patients that come into a community pharmacy with symptoms of a UTI we can now not only advise and support but also provide treatment, where appropriate, to treat the cause.
"Not all patients will need antibiotics but for those that do we can provide them quickly and conveniently, without the need to direct people to their GP practice for an appointment."
The hope is that the new scheme will see patients treated more conveniently and help ease the burden on GPs. Dr Neil O’Brien, executive medical director, of the new North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) cited the 75,000 people who had suffered from UTIs in the last six months and added: "Consequently, UTIs take up a large proportion of resources within the healthcare system accounting for two-four percent of all GP appointments each year and ten percent of all extended appointments, outside of GP surgery hours.
"Previously, over-the-counter treatments could only offer relief from the symptoms of a UTI, this new pilot scheme will allow community pharmacists to give advice and appropriate treatment to address and treat the underlying bacterial infection causing the UTI – without the need for a GP appointment."
Dr O'Brien emphasised that pharmacists were "highly trained" and said: "Utilising them to improve access to care will not only offer a more convenient service for patients but also significantly reduce the demand on general practice and limit the number of unnecessary visits to emergency departments and other health care providers."
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