Health secretary Wes Streeting has pledged to stabilise the community pharmacy system before enabling it to take on a broader role in healthcare, as he addressed the Health and Social Care Select Committee in Parliament on Wednesday (18 December).
“Now that we have got the budget set, we will be consulting with Community Pharmacy England shortly in the New Year,” Streeting stated. “I do want to reassure pharmacists across the country that we are taking into account the enormous pressures they are under when thinking about allocations so that we can stabilise the system and create the foundations from which to recover.”
The health secretary emphasised that his top priority is to “stabilise the [community pharmacy] system” before expanding initiatives such as Pharmacy First and independent prescribing. He also expressed a vision for community pharmacies to play “a bigger role… as part of the shift from hospital to community,” but stressed that immediate steps are required to address the sector’s current financial strain.
The announcement that Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) negotiations will commence early in the New Year was reaffirmed by Streeting, echoing a statement made earlier in the week by minister for care Stephen Kinnock during a Westminster Hall debate.
Streeting further confirmed that he is working with the minister for care to devise a package that will “initially stabilise the system and create a more stable foundation from which to build a better future for pharmacy.”
During the committee session, Joe Robertson MP highlighted concerns over the impact of increased employer National Insurance contributions on NHS providers, citing Community Pharmacy England’s analysis that the proposed rise will cost community pharmacies £50m annually.
In response, Streeting acknowledged the “wide range of pressure” on the sector and assured that these factors are being considered in funding decisions.
Janet Morrison, chief executive of Community Pharmacy England, welcomed the recognition of the sector’s challenges but underscored the urgency of addressing its financial crisis. “Community pharmacy owners are in an absolutely desperate financial position and need urgent answers on funding,” she said. “I wrote to Ministers earlier this month to reiterate the very perilous position that the sector is in, and to warn of the serious consequences should the current chronic underfunding of the sector continue.”
Morrison added, “It has been encouraging this week to hear the Secretary of State recognising the immense pressures that the sector is under, and also Ministers noting the enormous amount of work that is going on in community pharmacies to support patients and communities. MPs from across the political spectrum have also been calling for the support and investment that pharmacies need.”
