Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Sigma Conference 2020: NPA commissions study to show impact of frozen funding on pharmacy’s ability to deliver for NHS

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has commissioned global consultancy firm Ernst & Young to conduct an economic impact assessment of the community pharmacy funding and policy framework in England.

EY’s expert team will assess the robustness of the pharmacy market and consider how far restricted funding and the broader economic environment may impact on efforts to achieve NHS objectives.


The team will conduct literature searches, interviews with stakeholders and a comprehensive survey of NPA members that highlight current pressure points and the impact of foreseeable changes in funding and costs.

EY will also explore what all this means for GPs, hospitals patients and wider society.

Speaking at the Sigma Pharmaceutical conference on Tuesday, the NPA’s Acting Chairman, Andrew Lane, said: “It’s the NPA’s duty, as the voice of independent community pharmacy, to speak out passionately but also factually. Therefore, we have secured the expert services of EY to deliver a detailed financial and operational analysis of the current and future position for independent pharmacies.”

The Association expects to receive telling evidence about the capacity of the pharmacy sector to deliver on NHS objectives, in the context of current flat funding.

“Ministers and NHS officials say they want community pharmacies to be the first port of call for common illnesses, to help people stay well, to take on more clinical services and to relieve pressure on other parts of the system. This can only be achieved on a sustainable basis if resources match the level of ambition. Therefore, we hope they will welcome this economic study as a serious contribution to the evidence base that underpins the development of health & social care policy,” Lane said.

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) offered all possible support for the initiative.

PSNC Chief Executive Simon Dukes commented: “This is a really useful initiative from the NPA. We will be supporting the review team in whatever ways we can, and their final report will provide a useful evidence base for us to use in the CPCF annual review process. We expected those discussions with the government to be very much focused on contractors’ costs and capacity this year.”

The final report is expected to be ready by June so that it can be made available to PSNC, the NHS and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) when they undertake the first annual review of funding under the five-year contractual settlement.

More For You

​RPS urges its members and fellows to vote in favour of Royal College for “a stronger, louder voice”

The Special Resolution Vote will remain open until 5 p.m. on Thursday, 24 March 2025.

Getty Images

Royal College voting begins: A historic moment in the profession’s evolution

Becoming a royal college will ensure pharmacy profession gains the recognition and authority it deserves, says RPS president Professor Claire Anderson.

Starting today (13), members and fellows of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) will begin voting on the proposed changes to its Royal Charter, marking the beginning of a historic shift toward becoming the Royal College of Pharmacy.

Keep ReadingShow less
Antibiotic prescribing for sore throats in England's pharmacies is twice as high as in Wales

Antibiotic supply rate was 72.7% under England’s Acute Sore Throat Pharmacy First compared to just 29.9% under Wales’ Sore Throat Test and Treat (STTT) scheme in six months.

Getty Images

Sore throat treatment: England pharmacies twice as likely to prescribe antibiotics as Welsh counterparts

A new study has highlighted significant differences in antibiotic use for sore throat treatment between pharmacies in England and Wales, suggesting that incorporating throat swabs to confirm bacterial infections could help reduce “unnecessary antibiotic supply.”

The study, published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy and first reported by The Independent, found that pharmacies in England were twice as likely to prescribe antibiotics for sore throats compared to those in Wales.

Keep ReadingShow less
GPs to play crucial role in transforming Wales’ health service

Jeremy Miles

(Photo credit: www.gov.wales )

Strengthening GPs’ role key to transforming healthcare - Jeremy Miles

Welsh health secretary Jeremy Miles has recognised the need to transform health services and bring healthcare closer to home.

Speaking at the recent Welsh Local Medical Committees Conference, he emphasised that strengthening the role of GPs would be crucial in improving patient healthcare and tackling NHS waiting lists.

Keep ReadingShow less
NPA and IPA urge NHS England to release pharmacy economic analysis immediately

Pharmacy bodies call for transparency on the funding gap amid ongoing contract negotiations.

Getty Images

Pharmacy bodies demand immediate release of economic analysis

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) and the Independent Pharmacies Association (IPA) have jointly written to NHS England, demanding the immediate release of the independent economic analysis of pharmacy finances commissioned last autumn.

An open letter, signed by the owners of 3,034 pharmacies in England, calls for transparency on the funding gap amid ongoing contract negotiations.

Keep ReadingShow less