NHS Ayrshire and Arran has launched a new Pharmacy First programme to help reduce the number of people attending GPs with two common problems.

Women suffering from uncomplicated urine infections and men or women with impetigo are being told to use the range of services available in local pharmacies.

This strategy means people can go directly to their pharmacist rather than their GP.

The scheme has already been rolled out to other Scottish health boards as a result of new figures.

More than 30,000 patients in Ayrshire and Arran were prescribed antibiotics for urine infections by a GP and around 9000 patients received cream for impetigo in 2016 and 2017.

Under the new scheme, more than 200 women have been treated for urine infections in August.