Some people are giving up on waiting for a GP's appointment and going to their local pharmacist

A recent survey in Northland found an 80 percent increase in requests from community pharmacy patients unable to access a general practice.

Whangarei pharmacist Iain Buchanan says he's seen this trend grow over the past 12 months.

He says, it's putting strain on pharmacists, as they're spending up to 20 minutes with a patient.

Pharmaceutical Society New Zealand President Michael Hammond says nationally there's been a shift in pharmacists providing more services, on top of an already heavy workload.