Common Ailment Scheme rolled out across north Wales

A scheme trialled in Gwynedd to help people get the most appropriate service for their ailment is being extended across North Wales.

During the course of the two-year pilot, nineteen pharmacies took part in the Common Ailment Scheme (CAS) which enables people to receive treatment from a pharmacist for common ailments such as hayfever, head lice or thrush instead of seeing their GP.

CAS forms part of the ‘Choose Pharmacy’ platform which sees pharmacists taking responsibility for helping patients with minor ailments, freeing up GPs’ time to deal with more complex needs.

In the space of twelve months, participating pharmacies have carried out more than 2,000 consultations.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is the first in Wales to extend the CAS to all BCUHB pharmacies, starting on 10 October with the roll out due to be completed by March 2017.

BCUHB’s Locality Team Leader in the West, Sera Roberts said:

“We are very pleased to be able to roll this out further and be able to offer the service to more patients.

“Pharmacists have the skills and knowledge to be able to support patients with minor illness and the Choose Pharmacy scheme will enable them to do just that. Anything we can do to ease the burden on our local GPs, whilst delivering timely and prudent advice to patients can only serve to benefit us all.”