Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Covid-19: Community Pharmacies

11 March 2021 · 15 other contributors · 14,432 words

Opened by Jackie Doyle-Price Con Thurrock

Responding minister: Jo Churchill

NHS

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Jackie Doyle-Price raised concerns about covid-19: community pharmacies in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Community pharmacists have dispensed 1 billion prescription items and provided 48 million consultations annually during the pandemic.
  • Financial pressures on pharmacies include PPE supply debts, increased wholesale prices, and operational costs, threatening up to 20% of pharmacy businesses.
  • The Government is asked to ensure adequate compensation for pharmacists and address a 370 million loan to the sector.

Key requests to Government

The Government should ensure that community pharmacists are adequately recompensed for their contributions during the pandemic. This includes addressing the £370 million loan to the sector and ensuring pharmacies can play a fuller role in primary care without financial strain.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Jackie Doyle-Price Con Thurrock

Community pharmacists have made significant contributions during the pandemic, dispensing 1 billion prescription items and delivering healthcare advice at a rate of 48 million consultations per year. However, these efforts have come with financial consequences for pharmacies, including debts due to PPE supplies, increased wholesale prices, and operational costs. The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee reported that up to one in five pharmacy businesses are threatened by these additional costs.

Other contributors (15)
  • Alex Norris Lab Co-op Nottingham North and Kimberley

    Pharmacies have been open throughout the pandemic, providing essential services and supporting NHS capacity. They face financial pressures due to cross-subsidisation from selling non-NHS products. The community has lost pharmacies during the crisis, highlighting the importance of sustainable funding for pharmacies. The pharmacy network has prevented half a million GP appointments and 57,000 A&E walk-in centre appointments weekly. There is concern about repayment of emergency cash-flow loans amounting to £32,000 per community pharmacy on average.

  • Andrew Jones Con Harrogate and Knaresborough

    Pharmacies have shown agility during the pandemic, remaining accessible and adapting to new rules. They have played a key role in health advice and vaccination centres, and should be at the heart of planning for future healthcare services.

  • Bob Seely Con Isle of Wight

    Pharmacies, especially independent ones, are a trusted voice in communities and take pressure off NHS services. Despite their significant role during the pandemic, pharmacies have incurred costs of £370 million which needs to be reimbursed. Three quarters of independent pharmacies face financial pressures leading to potential closures within 12 months. Bob Seely also asked why independent pharmacies do not receive the same discounts as larger chains and why they cannot make similar profit margins on prescriptions.

  • Chris Green Con Blackburn with Darwen

    Community pharmacies are vital to the NHS and face significant financial pressures. There are over 11,500 pharmacies in the UK with nearly 43,000 pharmacists and more than 19,000 technicians who have taken on additional responsibilities during the pandemic.

  • Lisa Cameron SNP East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow

    Community pharmacies have been crucial during the pandemic, providing essential services while facing financial challenges. They need targeted funding to continue their vital work and prevent further closures.

  • Elliot Colburn Con Carshalton and Wallington

    Pharmacists in Carshalton and Wallington have worked tirelessly during the pandemic, increasing their workload without adequate compensation. The speaker advocates for a 'pharmacy first' culture within the NHS to alleviate pressures on GPs and A&E services. They propose expanded roles for pharmacists including preventive care, additional services like vaccinations, and greater representation in strategic planning.

  • Holly Lynch Lab Huddersfield

    Pharmacies had their budgets cut from £2.8 billion in 2015-16 to £2.59 billion in 2017-18, representing a 4% and further 3.4% reduction respectively when inflation is factored in. This dealt an almost fatal blow to pharmacies with expected closures of between 1,000 and 3,000. During the pandemic, these underfunded pharmacies faced a 20% rise in demand for medicines, a 35% increase in required prescriptions, doubling in home deliveries and tripling in calls from the public.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Community pharmacies in Jim Shannon's constituency are under additional pressure due to the Northern Ireland protocol, requiring ongoing government support. He highlighted concerns about potential medicine shortages and regulatory burdens post 2021 which may force manufacturers to withdraw from supplying medicines to Northern Ireland. Shannon urged for assurances that work is being done to identify and quantify any possible shortages and to put in place measures to mitigate them. One of the advantages that I am sure the Minister is coming to is that GP surgeries and A&Es will potentially have fewer people to see if the pharmacies take over that role.

  • John Howell

    John Howell raised the issue of inoculation provision by pharmacies, noting they are not yet providing vaccinations in his area but should be encouraged for future booster shots. He also highlighted a problem with the net closure of around 400 pharmacies and the need for better funding to convert emergency loans into grants or write-offs. Howell suggested a role for pharmacies in detecting undiagnosed high blood pressure and in public health guidance at a local level.

  • Martyn Day SNP Linlithgow and East Falkirk

    Pharmacies in Scotland provide minor ailment services, chronic medication, and public health services. The Pharmacy First service, backed by £7.5 million investment for 2021-22 and rising to £10 million by 2022-23, reduces pressure on GPs and A&E services. Pharmacists provide advice and medicine without appointments at over 1,200 pharmacies in Scotland.

  • Peter Dowd Lab Bootle

    Pharmacies have played a crucial role during the pandemic, supporting communities when people could not access GP services. The Government should review their response to pharmacies and provide additional resources for training and support. A reassessment of pharmacy value by finance teams in the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS is also necessary. Immediate relief measures such as writing off advance payments are needed to prevent irreversible damage.

  • Simon Fell

    Local pharmacies have been remarkable in supporting their communities during the pandemic, offering essential services beyond prescriptions and now aiding in vaccination efforts. The sector is struggling due to a significant drop in retail business and an increase in workload. Government support has helped address immediate cash-flow issues, but more assistance is required to prevent closures that would impact patient care.

  • David Amess Con Southend West

    Pharmacies have been a lifeline during the pandemic, supporting vulnerable individuals and care homes. They are now processing prescriptions electronically, providing discharge medicine services, and joining vaccination programmes. However, pharmacies face financial pressures due to increased costs of staffing, PPE, and medicines, with £370 million in advance payments needing to be repaid.

  • Steve Brine Con Hampshire South West

    Discussed the hub and spoke model for community pharmacies, expressing concern that it could drive down costs and reduce patient contact. Asked when the Department will bring forward concrete proposals to consult on this model.

  • Steve McCabe Lab Birmingham Selly Oak

    Community pharmacies, despite being open throughout the pandemic and offering vital services, face financial difficulties. They need funding to cover costs related to safety measures and the delivery of vaccines.

Government Response

Jo Churchill

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Graham. I am incredibly grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Jackie Doyle-Price), not only for securing the debate today, but for her work as chair of the all-party parliamentary group on pharmacy, and across the health space more generally. All those who have participated today have shown how important pharmacy is to every one of us. I am immensely proud to stand here as the Minister for pharmacy, and I thank everyone involved in community pharmacy for their hard work, whether they talk to patients every day or are involved in the vaccine roll-out or the broader team. Hon. Members might recall that we agreed a five-year deal back in July 2019, before the pandemic, committing almost £13 billion to community pharmacy—just under £2.6 billion a year—and was the joint vision of Government, NHS England and the pharmaceutical negotiating committee, the PSNC, for how community pharmacy will support the delivery of the NHS long-term plan, and patients. The fact that pharmacy workers are a key part of our NHS family, as my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock said, and have risen unfailingly to the many, varied and enormous challenges of the pandemic should not go unnoticed. There are 11,210 pharmacies sitting at the heart of our communities. They are easily accessible: 80% of them are within 20 minutes for someone walking there. Throughout the pandemic they have stayed open and served their communities. We are already making good progress on the journey. The community pharmacist consultation service went live in November 2019, enabling NHS 111 to refer patients into community pharmacies for minor illnesses or the urgent supply of prescribed meds. We have had more than 750,000 referrals so far. In November 2020, we expanded that service to GP surgeries, so GPs can now formally refer patients to community pharmacies for consultation. There will be more services introduced over the financial year. I am aware of the concerns that current funding is not enough, and I need to work with the sector to look at things in much more detail, because pharmaceutical services are complex, and there is a range of different providers. The solution has to be one that we can tailor. A balanced and considered approach must be taken to maintain the variety and vibrancy that we all recognise as absolutely key in the pharmacy network. People and patients absolutely value the diversity that best suits them and their own needs. We need a sustainable funding model that works for all types. The past year has tested all pharmacies, and the following months will continue to be challenging. I am personally committed to doing everything I can to support all community pharmacies in what I view as their essential role as part of the NHS family.

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