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Community pharmacists have been stepping up to fill the void left by the sudden closure of four GP surgeries despite being branded "pretend doctors".
NHS 111 referrals to a number of pharmacies across Dartford increased dramatically following the closure of the Elmdene Surgery in London Road, Greenhithe, it has been revealed.
The practice – along with it branches in Bean, Darenth and Bexley – shut without warning at the end of November, leaving nearly 12,000 patients without access to their GP.
It follows action from regulator Care Quality Commission (CQC) after concerns were raised about the standards of care provided.
Around 10 pharmacies were believed to be affected with between 70 and 130 referrals each in the three days following the temporary closure of the surgeries – up from just one or two a month previously.
These requests were made via the Community Pharmacy Consultation Service (CPCS), with the majority being made for urgent medicines.
It was recently reported more than 90% of pharmacies in England have signed up to the new service, which was first introduced in October.
Patients access it by calling NHS 111 – a non-urgent alternative to 999 – and can either request access to medicines or advice or treatment for minor illnesses.
It also seeks to ease pressure on A&E departments which have been buckling under the winter demand.
Last month it was reported around 3,400 patients seeking emergency care at Darent Valley Hospital faced waiting times of longer than four hours.
Kent local pharmaceutical committee CEO Shilpa Shah praised the rapid work of pharmacists in Dartford who "really saved the day".
This included staff at Stone Pharmacy in Greenhithe who put in extra shifts over a three to four-day period to provide emergency patient care.
She said: "Pharmacies were amazing and reacted with only the patient in mind, drafting in extra staff, doing extra hours to ensure that patients got their medication and the reassurance they needed at a difficult time."
It follows news of more than 2,000 complaints lodged with Ofcom last week after pharmacists were branded "pretend doctors" live on ITV's This Morning show.
Ms Shah said hopefully the service provided would go some way towards altering this misperception.
She explained druggists undergo rigorous training which includes university study for four years followed by an additional year's training.
This service, she said, shows how "valuable community pharmacies are and the wealth of skill and knowledge the pharmacists and their support staff have".
Alternative arrangements have been put in place for Elmdene's patients.
Previous manager Dr Bhaskar Bora has stepped down.
His premises are now shut with the Swanscombe and Bean Partnership taking on its patients at a surgery in Bean Village.
All patients from Elmdene, Bennett Way and Bean were transferred to the new provider on December 31.
The 2,791 patients from its other annexe Joydens Wood will now be seen at Summerhouse Surgery in Bexley, one mile away.
