Over the coming days much will be/is being written about the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework and the Independent Economic Review. Emotions are understandably high this week and as everyone has already said, the devil is in the detail.
I must admit to being puzzled by the behaviours that I’m witnessing, and energy being expended at Community Pharmacy England’s door rather than that of government. Only those in the room whilst negotiating will know what information they were dealing with and as is always the case in these situations, they (CPE) are undoubtedly in an unenviable position where nothing they could do would have been right (or certainly not enough).
The truth is, with or without the economic review, everyone knows the dire situation community pharmacy has found itself in over the years and the (at times) appalling way it has been treated, undervalued or forgotten.
This framework is a step in the right direction and recognition of the historical situation. However, whatever the figure had been, this was never going to be a magic bullet or the number everyone wanted.
In my opinion, relying solely on income from CPCF now or in recent times has not been a sensible place to operate and I have had this demonstrated to me beautifully over the last few months whilst working alongside innovative, enthusiastic small-medium sized organisations supporting them as they develop and grow their ambitious plans.
They have identified gaps in the market, (or their locality) and they are growing, developing and, dare I say, thriving. Keen and eager to demonstrate effective leadership and engage the right individuals in their organisations whilst developing marketing plans and ensuring robust risk management, clinical and information governance plans are in place as they grow. I believe digital and hardware technology definitely has a place here but understand the investment needed and how that may feel a way off for many organisations.
I appreciate that this may be an unpopular opinion, but I truly believe innovation and growth is the answer as nobody’s business should be reliant on one source of income in any walk of life.
That said, I am disappointed that immediate cash flow issues haven’t been addressed in this deal as I think that would have helped in the short term.
However, I am pleased to see such a reduction in red tape and bureaucracy, something that is often overlooked and will significantly reduce the over-arching burden. I have always felt that reducing the non-productive bureaucracy is a helpful and adaptable tool that should be utilised more often.
I do believe that this framework acknowledges how valued and well-loved pharmacy is, I have watched in admiration over the last few months at my peers across various organisations as they have worked tirelessly to spread the word and to ensure that pharmacy remains front and centre on all media outlets throughout this period. They should be congratulated and thanked for their efforts.
I’m conscious that I may be sounding too optimistic, but I do think I am being realistic. This is a starting point and I feel government has listened, if not able to act fully at this stage and a long way to go.
Community pharmacy still holds that unique and trusted position in community but must now focus on matters in their direct control – their people, their premises, their operation, their relationships, their services and their marketing as part of a robust business plan.
I know contractors will be crunching their numbers and reviewing their business plans. CPE will be working out their position and business case for the start of August’s negotiations on 2026/27 funding. Much to be done!
Victoria Steele is the Founder and Director of Steelier Ltd and the ex -superintendent of LloydsPharmacy
