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Community Pharmacy England and the Taskforce for Lung Health are backing a greater role for pharmacies in supporting lung health, saying this could help improve health outcomes and prevent another winter health crisis.

This comes after a new YouGov poll for CPE found that last winter, community pharmacies were the most accessible healthcare location for members of the public, when they were asked how easy it was to access various NHS services.

Over half (58 per cent) said they found it easy to access community pharmacies, compared with 39 per cent who found it easy to access general practice, 37 per cent dentists, 22 per cent non-urgent hospital services, and 18 per cent A&E.

Just 5 per cent of people surveyed said they found community pharmacies difficult to access, compared with 37 per cent who struggled to access general practice, and 18 per cent A&E.

Of the people who said they found it difficult to access general practice, 50 per cent said this had a negative impact on their medical condition at that time.

Last winter saw many parts of the NHS overwhelmed, says CPE, with over 15 hospitals in England declaring critical incidents, as the rise in flu admissions led to high demand for emergency hospital services.

Lung diseases are the leading driver of emergency admissions and winter pressures within the NHS, and breathing issues are responsible for 1 in 8 emergency admissions in England, according to Asthma + Lung UK, higher than heart disease, musculoskeletal conditions and cancer.

The new YouGov poll indicates four out of five (84- 87 per cent) people across England would support increasing the range of respiratory health services offered by pharmacies, including more help with coughs and colds (85 per cent), assessments and support for people with asthma (85 per cent), and preventative measures such as a wider range of vaccinations (85 per cent) and stop smoking services with needing a referral (84 per cent).

Over three-quarters of those polled (77 per cent) said they would be concerned if their local community pharmacy were to close.

The poll was conducted online in May 2025 with 1,920 adults. The figures were weighted to be representative of all adults in England (aged 18+). It comes ahead of an event on lung health hosted by the APPG for Respiratory Health and the Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, Liz Twist MP.

Henry Gregg, chair of the Taskforce for Lung Health, said: “Community pharmacies are at the heart of NHS primary care services, providing essential services. This new polling shows the strength of public support for community pharmacies to provide more annual reviews and vaccinations for people living with lung conditions.”

In response to the poll’s findings, Dr Nick Thayer, Company Chemists’ Association head of policy, said: “It is no surprise that community pharmacies were the most accessible healthcare locations for patients last winter. For example, NHS Pharmacy First consultations amongst our members saw a 10 per cent uplift in the week leading up to Christmas.

“Harnessing pharmacies to administer more NHS vaccines and expanding Pharmacy First are two vital steps the NHS could take to mitigate next winter’s pressures. Taken together, these measures could free up 50 million GP appointments annually.”