Medicines for seven conditions from pharmacies without seeing a GP

Patients will be able to obtain prescription medicines and oral contraception directly from pharmacies under a blueprint to ease the pressure on GPs' appointments. Treatments for seven common conditions including earache, sore throat and urinary tract infections will be available without seeing a doctor under plans announced by Rishi Sunak.

The Prime Minister hopes the measures will help end the "all-too stressful wait" for appointments by freeing up 15 million slots at doctors' surgeries over the next two years. Pharmacists themselves would be able to write the prescriptions under the reform that ministers hope will be introduced this winter after a consultation with the industry.

Backed by £645 million of spending, the number of people able to access blood pressure checks in pharmacies would be more than doubled to 2.5 million a year under the plans. Self-referrals will also be increased for access to services such as physiotherapy, hearing tests and podiatry without the requirement to see a GP first. Mr Sunak announced the measures as he seeks to bounce back from the Conservatives' poor performance in last week's local elections, which saw the Tories shed 960 council seats.