The Proprietary Association of Great Britain (PAGB) has written to health secretary Wes Streeting with an action plan calling on the new Government to prioritise six key actions in its first 100 days to realise the benefits of self-care to the public, NHS and wider economy. 

The plan highlights the “quick and cost-effective wins” that prioritising self-care will deliver for the new administration and how this can help reduce the burden on the NHS ahead of the winter illnesses season, says PAGB. 

With at least 25 million GP appointments and 5 million A&E visits used each year for self-treatable illnesses, empowering people to self-care instead could save the NHS at least £1.7bn per year, it adds.

The plan calls on the Government to embed self-care in primary care by committing to ensuring sufficient pathways and IT infrastructure are in place to enable pharmacists to refer patients directly to the full range of primary care services as well as routinely populate their medical records. 

Ministers should also review and improve accessibility of the NHS app and website to help consumers find accredited information on self-care. 

In addition, a nationwide campaign should be launched to enhance public awareness of primary care services, promoting easily accessible and trusted self-care advice. 

PAGB also wants the Government to commit to upholding the recently proposed addition to the relationship, sex and health education curriculum to cover self-care and the role of pharmacists by the end of secondary school. 

Finally, the industry body says the Government and industry should collaborate on widening patient access to OTC medicines through switching, and update the conditions and categories suitable for reclassification. There should also be OTC sector representation on the Life Sciences Council. 

PAGB chief executive Michelle Riddalls attended a panel event with Mr Streeting before the election highlighting the benefits of self-care to the NHS.