There are currently ‘no plans’ to add to the seven common conditions pharmacies should handle in the place of GPs. Subject to ‘the IT underpinning the service being complete’, pharmacies can sign up to consult and prescribe under the Pharmacy First scheme from 31 January, new primary care minister Andrea Leadsom said in a written answer

This year, the nativity story has unwelcome resonance for growing numbers of GPs, who are closing their lists to new patients in order to cope with demand. Eliza Parr investigates the implications for practices – good and bad  Increasing numbers of struggling practices are reaching for their final throw of the dice before handing their