A PILOT project which allows pharmacists to prescribe patients treatments for illnesses such as allergies and skin conditions is being tested as a means to cut GP workload and provide faster care out of hours.

The trial in Inverclyde has opened up the pharmacy-based Minor Ailments Service (MAS) to anyone in the region who is registered with a GP. In the rest of Scotland, MAS, which was introduced in 2006, is restricted certain patients only, including those on low incomes or benefits, asylum seekers, the over-60s and children under 16.

The service enables patients to get treatment for problems such as fungal infections, allergies, skin conditions and infestations on the NHS without the need to see a GP. The Inverclyde pilot also expanded the list of ailments pharmacists could treat to include impetigo, uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women, shingles, short-term contraception and exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

Health chiefs said they will use the results of the Inverclyde pilot, due in 2018, to decide whether to roll out MAS to all patients in Scotland.

A Scottish Government report on pharmacy said: "An extended MAS has the potential to improve access to treatment for a range of uncomplicated illnesses normally requiring a prescription. It more fully utilises the clinical skills of pharmacists and reduces demand on GP practices, out-of-hours and Emergency Department workload."

The move would be part of a five-year overhaul which aims to make community pharmacists the "first port of call" for healthcare advice and support.

The report, 'Achieving Excellence in Pharmaceutical Care', said pharmacists embedded in GP surgeries could also carry out annual medicines reviews for patients with long-term illnesses who are on multiple medications which may be interacting adversely.

It pointed to the example of a Dundee GP practice where a patient who had been suffering from recurrent falls, urinary tract infections and anxiety experienced "vast improvements in their blood pressure" after a pharmacist review led to a change in their dosage and medication. The patient also suffered fewer falls and an improvement in their overall health, including their continence.

The Scottish Government wants every GP practice in Scotland to have access to a pharmacist with advanced clinical skills by 2021.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “The commitments and actions in this strategy will help the public and professions alike realise the true value that pharmacy can bring to our communities and daily lives.”