+The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant backlog in hospital care, which has in turn contributed to an unprecedented increase in demand for GP appointments. In response, NHS England announced the [“Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care”](https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/delivery-plan-for-recovering-access-to-primary-care/). A key element is the [Pharmacy First service](https://www.england.nhs.uk/primary-care/pharmacy/pharmacy-services/pharmacy-first/), which incorporates urgent supply of repeat medication, consultation for minor illnesses, and a clinical pathways service to assess for and manage seven common conditions, including supplying prescription-only medicines where appropriate. The plan also includes an expansion of the contraception and hypertension case-finding services. These services all aim to enable patients to access care in quicker and more convenient ways where otherwise this may have been more difficult or delayed due to the impacts of the pandemic.
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