The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has come down heavily on the government, terming the GP contract offer a year ahead of pharmacies ‘an outrage’.
The government has on Thursday unveiled the first details of the next GP contract for 2025-26, including an extra £889 million ‘on top of the existing budget’ for general practice.
“It is an outrage that GP's have been offered their contract for the next financial year before pharmacies have even received an offer for the current year – nine months late,” Paul Rees, NPA chief executive, commented.
“There is huge strength of feeling among our members about their current financial position and this does nothing to reduce the chance of pharmacies being forced to take collective action to protect their services for patients.”
Last month, 99 per cent of NPA members voted in favour of limiting services to patients for the first time in its history if current levels of government underfunding is not reversed.
In the historic ballot, 97.8 per cent voted to serve notice on opening hours above the minimum required by their contract, with pharmacies being shut on weekends or weekday evenings whilst 93.3 per cent voted to withdraw making free home deliveries of medicines.
“The seemingly endless delays to this year’s contract negotiations only reinforces the belief that there is a lack of respect for pharmacies within government and leaves hardworking pharmacies abandoned in the dark, causing them stress and uncertainty about their future,” Rees said.
“Uncertainty about funding is preventing pharmacies from investing in better services and reform – instead making them take on debts or question whether they can continue at all.”
Rees asked the government to “get around the table” as soon as is possible to end the “crippling uncertainty and offer reassurance and security” to pharmacies.
Responding to the announcement, Community Pharmacy England chief executive Janet Morrison said: “It is extraordinary that the government has announced what looks to be a generous investment in general practice for 2025/26 before settling the contract for community pharmacies – many of whom are on the brink of collapse – for this financial year.
“For desperate pharmacy owners working hard to support their patients despite intolerable financial and operational pressures, today’s announcement will feel like more evidence of the inequity at the heart of primary care, and it is a further kick while they are down.”
She said the ongoing delays to Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) negotiations are “infuriating,” adding that: “It is clearly in everyone’s interests to have a strong general practice service, but without a stable network of community pharmacies to support them, any efforts to ease pressure on GPs will be wasted.”
While welcoming the assurances this week from ministers that the CPCF negotiations will commence early in the New Year, she said this will not be enough.
“Government and the NHS cannot be in any doubt that community pharmacies are chronically and dangerously underfunded and need urgent help. “Every further delay is likely too late for some pharmacy business and the communities and patients they serve. Community pharmacies simply cannot wait any longer for the good news they so desperately need,” she said.
