As England's NHS strains under record demand, the quiet corner of the high street chemist is being asked to carry more of the nation's health burden. This autumn, five new conditions — migraines, acne, ear infections, scabies, and blocked noses — join a growing list that pharmacists can treat without a GP referral, part of a broader reckoning with how a modern health system distributes care. The Pharmacy First scheme, already delivering millions of consultations since 2024, reflects an old truth: that access to healing should not depend on navigating an overwhelmed system, but the question of