Concerns have been raised after it emerged patients could be able to get antibiotics from pharmacies without seeing a doctor. The proposals are designed to cut the need for GP appointments.
According to The Times, Health Secretary Thérèse Coffey has pushed to make antibiotics more freely available. Ms Coffey has said that she has previously handed out her own supplies of antibiotics to friends and family who were feeling unwell.
Although Ms Coffey is not considering making antibiotics available over the counter, she is planning a Scottish-style scheme which would allow pharmacists to prescribe antibiotics, without the advice of a doctor, to patients they believe are suffering from certain conditions. However, pushing for easier availability of antibiotics has been criticised by some medical experts.
The Times reported that Stephen Baker, a professor of molecular microbiology at Cambridge University, said the more antibiotics were used, "the more likely we are to get drug-resistant organisms". He said it was "nuts" to talk about widening access to the medicine.
A spokesperson for Ms Coffey said: "The secretary of state has explored a range of policy options to relieve pressure on GPs, including whether it is possible to allow greater prescribing by pharmacists — as happens in many places, including Scotland."
