RPS Wales welcomes expansion of clinical community pharmacy services
Published: 1 October 2025
This was published when the organisation was the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has welcomed the announcement of new funding that will support the rollout of two key clinical services in community pharmacies across Wales in 2025.
The additional investment in community pharmacy follows contractual negotiations between the Welsh Government and Community Pharmacy Wales (CPW). This will enable the sore throat test (STTT) and treat service and the urinary tract infection (UTI) service to be available in 99% of community pharmacies across Wales ahead of winter.
Research led by Dr. Efi Mantzourani has demonstrated the significant role the STTT services has in antimicrobial stewardship. The study found that 24% of consultations through the Welsh pharmacy-led STTT service resulted in an antibiotic supply, compared to 39% of GP consultations. For every 100 patients presenting with a sore throat at an STTT pharmacy, there was a reduction of approximately 15 to 18 antibiotic prescriptions.
Commenting on the announcement, Elen Jones, RPS Director for Wales and England, said:
“This is fantastic news for patients, improving access to trusted, convenient care through their local community pharmacy. Community pharmacists already play a vital role in supporting their communities, and it’s encouraging to see that role increasingly recognised through investment in services such as STTT and the UTI.
“Patient feedback on both services has been overwhelmingly positive. They not only provide care closer to home but also make the best use of pharmacists’ clinical expertise.”
Reflecting on the pressures facing community pharmacy teams, Elen also added:
“While this announcement is very welcome, it’s important to acknowledge that community pharmacy is under significant pressure. As we highlighted to politicians, together with CPW at the Senedd in 2024 and earlier this year following the results of our workforce wellbeing survey, pharmacy teams must be supported with adequate resources, protected time for training, and sustainable workloads to ensure these services can be delivered effectively and safely.”
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