More than 10,000 pharmacies in England can now diagnose and treat patients for several illnesses and health conditions.
As part of what is being described as a “major transformation” in the way the NHS delivers its care, from today (31 January), people in England will be able to get treatment for seven common illnesses and health conditions just by heading down to their local high street pharmacy, all without needing to make an appointment to see a GP or getting a prescription.
More than nine in 10 community pharmacies in England – a massive 10,265 locations in total – will now be offering the “groundbreaking initiative” to patients.
NHS England says it wants to make it “easier” and “more convenient” for people to access care.
Today the NHS is expanding community pharmacy services. You can now go to your local pharmacy for treatment for seven common conditions and they may provide some prescription medicine without you needing to see a GP.
This new scheme – which is part of the NHS and Government’s primary care access recovery plan – is apparently aiming to free up around 10 million GP appointments each year.
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The full list of illnesses which can now be diagnosed and treated by NHS highly-trained pharmacists across England are:
Sinusitis
Sore throat
Earache
Infected insect bite
Impetigo
Shingles
Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women (under the age of 65)
“GPs are already treating millions more people every month than before the pandemic,” explained Amanda Pritchard, who is the Chief Executive of NHS England, as the scheme begins its national rollout today.
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“But with an ageing population and growing demand, we know the NHS needs to give people more choice and make accessing care as easy as possible.
More than 10,000 pharmacies in England can now diagnose and treat patients for several illnesses / Credit: NHS
“People across England rightly value the support they receive from their high street pharmacist, and with eight in 10 living within a 20-minute walk of a pharmacy, and twice as many pharmacies in areas of deprivation, they are the perfect spot to offer people convenient care for common conditions.”
Ms Pritchard called the scheme “great news for patients”, as she added that many pharmacies in England open late into the evening.
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🩺💊 From today, you can get treatment for seven common conditions at most pharmacies without a GP prescription.
Across England, 95% of pharmacies have signed up to offer this expanded service.
— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) January 31, 2024
The additional powers awarded to pharmacists today comes after more than 5,300 pharmacies in England began being able from December 2023 to offer women the chance to get a supply of the oral contraceptive pill over the counter, again, without needing to see their GP first.
The NHS expects that almost half a million women a year will be receiving their contraception from their high street pharmacist in the future.
It also comes as the Government has made £645 million of new funding available to support the continued expansion of community pharmacy services.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called today’s change “crucial” for patients in England.
Featured Image – gov.uk
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Full list of road closures set to be in place for Manchester Day 2024
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Day is back for 2024 this weekend, and the full list of road closures set to be in place has been confirmed.
Now that schools are officially out across Greater Manchester, and the summer holidays are well and truly here, the hugely-popular Manchester Day is making a return once again this Saturday 27 July, and as always, it’s set to be “the day summer officially starts” in the city centre – with a massive celebration of “all things Mancunian” on the cards.
The theme of this year’s annual event is ‘Let The Games Begin’, and it’s inspired by the international summer of sport, just 2024 Olympics kicks off over in Paris.
The day will be packed full of free events and activities to get involved with.
Some city centre roads will be closed on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 July for Manchester Day.
These will include:
🛣️Deansgate 🛣️St Ann Street 🛣️St Mary’s Gate 🛣️Market Street 🛣️King Street
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) July 21, 2024
But of course, in order for the all the fun to go ahead as safely as possible, and as tends to be the case for events like these, Manchester City Council says it will need to make some temporary road closures to facilitate it.
The full list of road closures has now been confirmed by the Council, and there’s some major city centre thoroughfares set to be out of action.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Manchester Day is back for 2024 to celebrate the international summer of sport / Credit: Manchester City Council
Manchester Day 2024 – Road Closures
Saturday 27 July
From 6am to 11:59pm, Manchester City Council has confirmed that the following roads will be closed:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street) – access will be maintained to Marks and Spencer’s car park and Number One Deansgate.
St Ann Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street (Cross Street to Deansgate) – no access for deliveries.
All accessible bays, bus lanes, and taxi ranks within the closed areas will also be suspended during from 6pm on Friday 26 July to 11:59pm on Saturday 27 July.
The parking suspensions set to be in place are:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street)
St Ann Street – including the bays outside St Ann’s Church (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Southgate (St Mary’s Street to King Street West)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Victoria Street (Cathedral Approach to Deansgate)
Todd Street (Corporation Street to Station Approach)
King Street (Spring Gardens to Southgate)
South King Street (Ridgefield to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street West (Deansgate to St Mary’s Parsonage)
St James’s Square (John Dalton Street to South King Street)
Cross Street (King Street to Corporation Street)
Museum Street (Peter Street to Windmill Street)
Marsden Street (Cheapside to Brown Street)
Manchester Day 2024: Let The Games Begin! will take over the city centre on Saturday 27 July from 12pm-6pm.
Check out everything you need to know ahead of the event here.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete
Emily Sergeant
Work currently underway on the Rochdale via Oldham line is expected to take several weeks to complete.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has confirmed that land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has now “slowed”, and this means that detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works have been able to get underway.
In order for trams to run again on the crucial line from the city centre to the two major Greater Manchester towns, TfGM says that a small section of track has to be moved back – also known as ‘slewed’ – into its original position.
The overhead line poles also need to be repaired too, the transport operator revealed.
Rochdale line update
Land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has slowed, enabling detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works to get underway.
To get trams running again, a small section of track has to be moved back into its original position… pic.twitter.com/byERjitdi1
Unfortunately though, due to the “complex” nature of these works, and despite the fact that TfGM says it’s actively looking to “accelerate” the repairs, the project is expected to take up to five weeks to complete in full.
On top of this, the detailed ground investigations will also establish whether any further work to strengthen foundations beneath the track will be needed at a later date.
TfGM has apologised for the inconvenience caused to passengers.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete / Credit: TfGM
Speaking on the scale of works currently underway, and how long he expects them to continue for, Pete Sommers, who is TfGM’s Network Director for Metrolink, said: “I’m sorry for the impact this is having, and will continue to have, on people’s journeys.
“We are working to get trams running through the area again, but this remains a complex and challenging issue and it could still be a few weeks before this happens.
“We will of course keep passengers updated, and I’d encourage people to check our social media channels and website for the latest information and advice.”