Over the past year, since the national launch of Pharmacy First in 2024, community pharmacies have quietly stepped into a much bigger role in frontline healthcare. For many people, this has already meant quicker access to treatment for minor illnesses. But what we’re seeing now is only the beginning — and the next stage is even more significant.

“When the NHS Catches a Cold, General Practice Gets Pneumonia”....If you work in general practice, you already know this truth: every ripple in the NHS becomes a wave that crashes onto our doorstep, writes our Primary Care correspondent.

Over the past few years, general practice has been caught between rising demand, shrinking workforce numbers, and a constant stream of policy initiatives designed to “fix” the problem. The latest of these is the GP Reimbursement Scheme, introduced in May 2026 as part of the updated GP contract. On paper, it looks like a practical way to increase GP capacity. But it may raise as many questions as it answers.