A pharmacy in central London has launched a health clinic and private patient group direction it believes will ease the pressure on local GPs.

John Bell & Croyden said the PGD at its Wigmore Street branch will allow pharmacists to provide licensed medicines to patients “who fit certain clinical criteria” without a prescription from a GP or nurse.

Conditions covered by the new service include obesity, urinary tract infections, throat and ear infections, flu, erectile dysfunction, hair loss, allergies and skin conditions.

The service also includes an emergency inhaler supply service and travel and occupational health vaccinations.

James Gray, the healthcare services manager at John Bell & Croyden, said the clinic was “a natural extension” of its existing services.

“There has been an increase in waiting times for patients to get assessed and diagnosed, and we hope our service can help relieve these pressures and give patients a safe route to access care, particularly in cases where they present with a relatively common, straightforward issue,” he said.

“With an extensive service offering that exists beyond the traditional dispensing model, we aim to become a beacon of what pharmacists can do and prove that we don’t just stick labels on boxes but can in fact offer a ‘one-stop-shop’ style approach for the benefit of everyone.”