NPA Chair to COVID-19 Inquiry: ‘A resilient pharmacy network’ crucial for future pandemic response

Nick Kaye urged the COVID-19 Inquiry to recognise community pharmacists and their teams as “a genuine part of the NHS family”  

Nick Kaye, chair of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), gave evidence to the UK’s official COVID-19 Inquiry on Monday (4 November), highlighting the importance of building a “sustainable and resilient community pharmacy network” to enhance preparedness for future pandemics.

Kaye also recommended utilising the existing community pharmacy infrastructure for public health initiatives, such as vaccination programmes, and stressed the need to recognise community pharmacists and their teams as integral members of primary care.

“Seven pharmacies a week are closing across the four nations, and that is tragic for any future response. So, a resilient community pharmacy network that exists is going to be key,” he told the Inquiry.

He noted that 90 per cent of most NPA members' income comes from providing NHS services, underscoring the critical role pharmacies play in healthcare delivery.

However, Kaye highlighted that pharmacies were often overlooked and underappreciated during the pandemic.

He noted that when the pandemic hit the UK in 2020, pharmacies faced significant challenges, including the inability to access personal protective equipment (PPE) from the NHS stock and limited access to vaccines for pharmacy staff compared to other healthcare professionals.

Additionally, pharmacy staff were initially excluded from the death-in-service compensation scheme specially created for NHS workers.

Kaye called for pharmacies to be “reframed” in the minds of policy makers as “a genuine part of the NHS family” so that the same mistakes would not be repeated in future crises.

Reflecting on the vital role community pharmacies played during the national emergency, Kaye described them as the “shock-absorbers” for the healthcare system.

After hearing Kaye’s testimony, the Inquiry’s chair, Baroness Hallett, praised pharmacies for their “superb work” during the pandemic.

“I’m sorry you [pharmacies] didn’t get the recognition at the time that you should have done,” she said.