An "army" of pharmacists should step in to help treat patients at GP practices across England, according to plans by leading health professionals.
The proposals focus on pharmacists seeing patients with common ailments directly - not on setting up shops within surgeries.
Pharmacists would provide health advice and be able to prescribe medication once extra training had been completed.
Charities welcomed the move but say patient safety must be a priority.
End Quote Dr Maureen Baker RCGPThis isn't about having a pharmacy premises within a surgery, but about making full use of the pharmacist's clinical skills"
The plans, aimed at every practice in England, have been put forward by the Royal College of General Practice (RCGP) and Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS).
They say GP practices face staff shortages and are struggling to meet the demands of an ageing population.
And the RCGP predicts that on some 67 million occasions this year, patients will have to wait more than one week to get an appointment.
In contrast, there is currently an over-supply of skilled pharmacists who could ease this burden, experts argue.
Initial pharmacist training lasts one year longer than basic nursing qualifications and one year less than medical school for doctors.
Under the plans, patients with long-term conditions, such as asthma or diabetes, would benefit most.
Pharmacists could help patients streamline medications and work with hospitals and care homes to navigate "conflicting and confusing" information when patients with chronic diseases are discharged.
Dr Maureen Baker, chairwoman of the RCGP, said: "Even if we were to get an urgent influx of extra funding and more GPs, we could not turn around the situation overnight due to the length of time it takes to train a GP.
"Yet we already have a 'hidden army' of highly-trained pharmacists who could provide a solution.
"This isn't about having a pharmacy premises within a surgery, but about making full use of the pharmacist's clinical skills to help patients and the over-stretched GP workforce."
Reduce errorsDavid Branford, of the RPS, said: "Pharmacists can consult with and treat patients directly, relieving GPs of casework and enabling them to focus their skills where they are most needed, for example on diagnosing and treating patients with complex conditions.
"Pharmacists can advise other professionals about medicines, resolve problems with prescriptions and reduce prescribing errors."
These types of partnership already exist in a handful of practices but experts hope the plan will eventually be rolled out across the UK.
Katherine Murphy, of the Patients Association said: "Any action that can, at the very least, ease the problem is to be welcomed and this plan for doctors and pharmacists to work together is an innovative step in the right direction.
"Of course, there must always be concerns that the pharmacists who undertake this work have the relevant skills and qualifications to treat patients, and with care."
NHS England officials said they welcomed the idea in line with their plan to increase staffing in GP surgeries. But it is not yet clear whether they will push the proposals forward.
Could you be affected by these proposals? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. If you are available to speak to a BBC journalist, please include a contact telephone number.
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