Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has expressed his “personal gratitude” to the community pharmacy sector, in a letter of “encouragement and support” addressed to Sigma Pharmaceutical’s 2023 UK community pharmacy conference.

Lord Dolar Popat, who opened the Sigma event yesterday (November 5), read out the letter to delegates – stressing that the Prime Minister is the “son of a pharmacist”.

Read more: In full: Rishi Sunak's letter to the sector

Mr Sunak wrote that the government “very much appreciates” the community pharmacy sector’s “hard work”.

He said that community pharmacies play an “important role in maintaining and looking after local communities”, adding that this “incredible work” was not “unnoticed”.

He ended his letter by expressing his hope that the delegates felt “recognised” for their work.

Pharmacy First will prove “value and trust”

Mr Sunak’s letter also said that the government wants to “enable” the sector to “do more to support the NHS”.

The Prime Minister said that the upcoming Pharmacy First service, announced in May, would be “an important addition” to the work of pharmacies, with pharmacists providing initial assessments of patients and “some options for treatment” without a patient requiring a GP appointment.

Read more: Pharmacy First negotiations ‘concluded’, CPE chief announces

He added that additional services provided by pharmacists under the deal would prove “how valuable and trusted” community pharmacy is within communities.

It comes as C+D today (November 6) reported that the negotiations for the Pharmacy First deal had been concluded with the details to be announced “very shortly”, according to Community Pharmacy England (CPE) chief executive Janet Morrison.