I would urge Keir Starmer to allow pharmacists to prescribe antibiotics to a greater range of people who need them, as a temporary measure until we have enough GPs (Why are UK GPs striking and what are the implications for patients?, 1 August). Pharmacists are very well trained. GPs are incredibly hard to find because of years of neglect of their services. This will take some of the pressure off GPs, which is clearly needed, regardless of the outcome of the strikes.
If more training is needed for pharmacists to be able to provide antibiotics for simple cases of conditions such as pneumonia and cellulitis, then I am sure that can be provided, and I would imagine that pharmacists would welcome that. Antibiotic resistance is, as always, a major problem. But an infection that is treated late, due to long waiting lists for GP appointments, is likely to be harder to cure and therefore exposes more of our most precious antibiotics to resistance. In this time of GP shortages, our population should not be deprived of such basic medicines.
Doctor Jack Pickard
Pediatrician, London