EXCLUSIVE

Some low-volume contractors have become ill with stress while they wait for NHS England to decide their funding, according to the National Pharmacy Association (NPA).

A national support fund for “essential” small pharmacies ended in March, and the NPA told C+D last week (July 21) that NHS England regional teams had not given enough attention to arranging alternative funding.

The teams can choose to extend top-up funding for affected pharmacies, but NPA public affairs manager Gareth Jones said “very few” NPA members affected by the changes were certain about their futures.

The commissioning body’s approach had been “inconsistent” across the country, and regional teams' failure to prioritise funding decisions had left some contractors with “long-term worries”, he told C+D.

“We have examples of contractors who are very distressed and in ill health caused by this concern,” he said.

"Inappropriate demands"

NHS England had made “strange, inappropriate demands” to contractors in exchange for extended top-up funding, such as unneccessarily extending opening hours, he said.

"If you're in an area where there isn't anyone around on a Saturday morning, opening on Saturday morning isn't improving the service or increasing prescription numbers. It shouldn't be a blanket demand, it's not always the right solution," he said.

One regional team had imposed "retrospective demands" on a pharmacy while it was already "part way" through a new funding arrangement, he added.

Mr Jones spoke to C+D after he spoke to "about half" of the 35 NPA members who were originally on the national funding scheme, he said.

Last month, NHS England told C+D that 48 of the 102 pharmacies originally on the national scheme were still awaiting a final funding decision. 

PSNC said the wait was causing a “huge amount of worry” for contractors. Some pharmacy owners who had secured further funding would “struggle” to deliver on the terms of their agreement because of the requirements placed on them, it said.

In March, C+D launched a campaign to press NHS England for decisions on funding for small pharmacies.

Are you aware of affected pharmacies in your area?

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