Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Community Pharmacies

Tuesday 23 November 2021 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The community pharmacy contractual framework outlines a transformational programme of work to integrate community pharmacies into the NHS, delivering more clinical services and making them the first port of call for many minor illnesses.
  • The community pharmacy contractual framework commits 2.5 billion annually to the sector to support the transformational programme.
  • The Government launched the community pharmacist consultation service, where GPs and NHS 111 can refer patients directly to pharmacy services.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 John Spellar Lab
NHS
Context

The viability of the community pharmacy sector is under scrutiny due to operational challenges and financial pressures.

Question

What assessment has been made of the viability of the community pharmacy sector?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

The community pharmacy contractual framework outlines a transformational programme of work to integrate community pharmacies into the NHS, delivering more clinical services and making them the first port of call for many minor illnesses. The framework commits £2.5 billion annually to the sector to support that ambition.

Answered
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Q2 John Spellar Lab
NHS
Context

Community pharmacists have provided critical support during the pandemic, leading to a call for their expertise to be integrated into the delivery of primary care services.

Question

That is a welcome response from the Minister, and shows that she and the Department now seem to recognise our pharmacies for their magnificent efforts during the pandemic, providing frontline primary care and delivering and encouraging vaccination. Will she further recognise their expertise and dedication, and push rapidly forward with integrating pharmacies into the delivery of primary care—thus also, of course, easing pressure on GPs and hospitals?

Answer from Maria Caulfield

The right hon. Gentleman will find no greater supporters of community pharmacists than this Government. That is why we launched the community pharmacist consultation service, where GPs and NHS 111 can refer patients directly to pharmacy services. We now see pharmacies dealing with minor ailments such as sore throats, coughs and colds, providing the new medicines service and providing public health services such as weight management and stop smoking services.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not explicitly state a commitment to rapid integration or easing pressure on GPs and hospitals.

How: We Launched The Community Pharmacist Consultation Service

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Q3 Rob Butler
NHS
Context

Community pharmacies played a crucial role during the pandemic, especially in providing vaccines and supporting public health initiatives.

Question

Community pharmacies in my constituency have played a crucial role during the pandemic, not least in providing vaccines, as at Hughenden Valley. Will my hon. Friend join me in thanking them, as well as the pharmacists working in GP surgeries such as Meadowcroft surgery in Aylesbury, which I visited last week? Their growing role in primary care is an important part of our efforts to improve the health service and ensure that patients get the best possible care.

Answer from Maria Caulfield

My hon. Friend makes some excellent points, and I put on record again our thanks to community pharmacists and all community pharmacy teams. During the pandemic, more than 1,500 community pharmacy-led covid vaccination sites have been set up, delivering 15 million covid vaccinations so far, and this winter more than 3.8 million flu vaccines have been delivered through community pharmacies.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer did not address the role of pharmacists in GP surgeries or plans to integrate them into primary care.

How: My Hon. Friend Makes Some Excellent Points

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Q4 Dave Doogan SNP Angus and Perthshire Glens
NHS Scotland
Context

The Scottish Government has introduced the NHS Pharmacy First Scotland service with significant funding, prompting a call for recognition of these initiatives at Whitehall.

Question

The role of community pharmacies across Angus and Scotland during the pandemic cannot be underestimated. The way they were able to alleviate pressure on clinical services and the wider NHS must be noted. That is why the Scottish Government have introduced their NHS Pharmacy First Scotland service, backed by £7.5 million last year and going up to £10 million. Can the Minister assure me that the lessons we have learned in Scotland are accepted by Whitehall, and would she like to come to see the lessons we have learned in Scotland? I would be happy to accompany her.

Answer from Maria Caulfield

As I have said, this Government are leading the way in England in the way community pharmacies are transforming services in primary care. That is why we have the new medicines service, where patients with conditions such as asthma and high blood pressure or who are on blood-thinning medication are able to go and see their pharmacist as a first port of call in managing their medication.

Not addressed: The answer did not address the acceptance of Scottish initiatives or an invitation to visit Scotland.

How: This Government Are Leading The Way

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