The escalating global demand for health care, primarily attributed to ageing populations and the surge in chronic, long-term non-communicable diseases, stresses the importance of managing common ailments within primary healthcare settings, and highlights the essential role that pharmacists can play in the prevention and management of such ailments. With limited access to general practitioners and emergency departments, patients increasingly rely on the accessibility and competence of community pharmacists as their initial healthcare touchpoint. In response, countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada initiated common ailment schemes (CAS) in the early 2000s, delivering evident clinical and economic advantages, as well as improved convenience and access to care, by easing general practice burdens.
Pharmacist-led common ailments schemes: A global intelligence report. (2023)
