Across community pharmacy, there is no escaping the growing pressure on the cost base. From increases in the National Minimum Wage to rising business rates, rent, utilities, and broader inflationary impacts, the financial environment in which pharmacies operate has shifted significantly and continues to do so.
These are not marginal changes. They are structural increases that affect every part of the business, from frontline staffing through to the operational backbone that keeps pharmacies open, safe, and accessible for patients.
Community pharmacy has always demonstrated resilience. That resilience alone cannot absorb sustained and compounding cost pressures indefinitely.
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What makes this period particularly challenging is the timing. While costs continue to rise, the sector is still awaiting the outcome of funding negotiations in all four countries of the UK. That uncertainty creates a difficult, if not impossible, backdrop for decision-making.
Pharmacies are being asked to plan, invest, and continue delivering high-quality care without a clear view of the financial framework that will underpin those expectations.
There is no question about the value community pharmacy brings. We are a vital, highly accessible part of the healthcare system delivering care close to citizens’ homes, helping relieve pressure on GPs, supporting urgent care pathways, and providing essential services to patients in every community.
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Demand for those services continues to grow, and rightly so. The successes of the respective Pharmacy First services and the increasing volume of prescriber supported ones demonstrates the public’s trust and support for our network.
If we are to maintain, and build on, that role, the funding available and its distribution model must reflect the reality of delivering care in today’s environment.
Sustainable funding is not simply about supporting businesses; it is about protecting patient access and ensuring that pharmacies can continue to invest in their people, their services, and their communities.
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As we await the outcome of negotiations, there is a clear opportunity to provide the certainty the sector needs.
With the right support in place, community pharmacy can continue to play a central role in the future of healthcare delivery. Without it, the risk is that increasing financial strain begins to impact the very services patients rely on every day.
This is a pivotal moment. The decisions made now will shape not only the stability of the sector, it will define its ability to contribute fully to the wider ambitions of the NHS.
Harry McQuillan is chairman of Numark