With a network of 284 community pharmacies, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) already provides accessible healthcare and expert advice for people needing unscheduled care.
A recent pilot has transformed how pharmacists support patients outside normal working hours, improving patient experience and strengthening collaboration across services.
Before the pilot, pharmacists had limited options when concerned about a patient who didn’t require 999 care but needed to be seen before their GP reopened. They could either call the NHSGGC GP Out-of-Hours (GPOOH) professional line for a clinician discussion or advise the patient to contact NHS 24. While the first option often enabled effective collaboration and remote prescribing, the second could lead to delays in care.
Earlier this year, NHSGGC launched a pilot with Boots Silverburn and Houlihan’s Darnley—two extended-hours pharmacies. This initiative enabled pharmacists to book patients directly into face-to-face appointments at GPOOH, streamlining care and maximising the use of pharmacists’ clinical expertise. During the initial three-month period, 13 patients were referred through this new pathway, with all referrals reviewed and deemed appropriate.
Following this success, Phase 2 expanded the pathway to 23 community pharmacies that are routinely open on Sundays. This phase was also highly successful, further strengthening collaboration between community pharmacies and GPOOH teams and ensuring patients received timely care without unnecessary delays. Between April and September 2025, 84 patients were referred to GPOOH by community pharmacies, with 98% attending their appointments, indicating that the pathway is meeting patient needs effectively.
Due to this success, the pathway has now been rolled out across all community pharmacies in NHSGGC, making this innovative approach available to patients across the board.
Rachel Bruce, Community Pharmacy Development NHSGGC, said: “We’re delighted with the success of this initiative, which has enabled patients to be seen more quickly and avoid unnecessary delays.
“It’s a great example of services working together in innovative ways to make a real difference for patients out of hours.”
Thomas Gilhooly, Clinical Director, added: “This initiative demonstrates the real value of collaboration across primary care services. By enabling community pharmacists to refer patients directly to GP Out-of-Hours centres, we’ve created a pathway that ensures timely, appropriate care while reducing unnecessary delays.”
