House of Commons · Westminster Hall
21 June 2022 · 6 other contributors · 8,623 words
Opened by Peter Dowd Lab Bootle
Responding minister: Maria Caulfield
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Peter Dowd raised concerns about community pharmacies in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key points
Key requests to Government
The Minister should update Members on whether a funding increase will be granted to the community pharmacy sector to address current pressures and maintain service quality.
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
Pharmacies play a crucial role in providing healthcare and life-saving medicines to their local communities, with 89% of the population within a 20-minute walk from their nearest pharmacy. During the pandemic, pharmacies delivered over 24 million vaccinations and distributed 27.6 million lateral flow tests. However, the sector is under strain due to flat funding of £2.592 billion while costs rise, leading to inefficiencies and reduced patient interaction time.
Community pharmacies are the cornerstone of local healthcare, providing essential services during the pandemic. However, funding has not increased since 2014, leading to cuts of around £200 million since 2016. A lack of strategy for workforce planning and infrastructure development is also concerning, with 40% of large pharmacy chains operating at a loss. The speaker urges the Minister to outline steps being taken to support community pharmacies.
Community pharmacists are a keystone species of the NHS, providing essential healthcare out of hours and serving as minor injuries units. They were crucial during the vaccine roll-out programme and supported women experiencing domestic abuse through the Ask for ANI scheme. Anna Firth highlighted that pharmacies in her constituency serve an average of 5,162 people each year, saving 32 million GP appointments annually and diverting 3.5 million people from A&E visits. She called for further upskilling and funding to expand pharmacy services.
Mr Jim Shannon emphasized the potential of community pharmacies as an untapped resource. He highlighted their role in minor ailment consultations, flu vaccinations, and blood pressure checks, which can alleviate pressures on A&E departments. He cited figures showing over 58 million informal pharmacy consultations annually, saving up to £640 million compared to GP appointments.
He congratulated the hon. Gentleman for securing the debate, highlighting that community pharmacies played a heroic role during the pandemic. He emphasised the need to promote preventive medicine roles of pharmacies beyond just responding to needs. Emphasised the importance of community pharmacies in providing both proactive preventive medicine and reactive medical advice, highlighting their role during the pandemic. Suggested that more needs to be done to publicise the services offered by pharmacies, particularly for early detection and diagnosis of conditions like diabetes and blood pressure. Called on NHS England and the Government to work together to cement and expand the advantages of community pharmacies without seeing them as an alternative to GP services. Intervened stating that GPs must continue to offer out-of-hours, weekend services, and face-to-face encounters with patients alongside the existing service offered by pharmacies.
Community pharmacies are a lifeline for their communities in Scotland. Steven Bonnar highlights the importance of free prescriptions in Scotland compared to £9.35 per item charge in England. He supports expanding community pharmacy services like NHS Pharmacy First, reducing pressures on GPs and A&E services.
Commends pharmacists for their dedication and highlights the closure of 639 pharmacies since 2016, with nine in Coventry. Emphasises that community pharmacists could free up to 40 million GP appointments annually but urges better use of this potential by the Government. Expresses concern over workplace safety for pharmacists due to rising levels of violence and abuse.
Government Response
Maria CaulfieldIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Gary. I thank the hon. Member for Bootle (Peter Dowd) for securing this debate. Community pharmacies are central to primary care development and deliver vital services at the heart of communities. There are over 11,000 community pharmacies in England, accessible within a 20-minute walk for most people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they provided medicines delivery for shielding patients, implemented Pharmacy Collect for lateral flow tests, and operated over 1,500 vaccination centres. The Government committed to £2.592 billion funding through the five-year deal with community pharmacies in 2019, which aims to support NHS long-term plans. Current negotiations are ongoing for year four of this deal. Community pharmacists offer self-care support and manage minor ailments, freeing up GP appointments. They also provide discharge medicines services that prevent readmission or reduce hospital stays. The Government is working on expanding roles within the community pharmacy team through training and funding initiatives, including £15.9 million for workforce development. There are plans to make newly qualified pharmacists independent prescribers from 2026, and ongoing work with integrated care systems to further develop primary care models. Zero tolerance exists for abuse or violence against community pharmacists.