In his letter, Mr Waldron said he is “encouraged” by Ms Kennedy’s track record of supporting women’s health campaigns and praise of community pharmacy services in her constituency of South Ribble in Lancashire.

But he points out that pharmacy services in England have been put at risk by more than two years of reduced funding.

Mr Waldron also referred to C+D findings which revealed that stress levels among pharmacists have risen since the funding cuts were imposed, with “some respondents raising concerns that staffing levels in their pharmacy are now so low they are dangerous”.

Mr Waldron reminded Ms Kennedy that her predecessor Steve Brine – who resigned from the government in March over Brexit – had told C+D in a 2017 letter that he wanted to see “fair, realistic and sustainable funding” for the sector.

With the funding negotiations between the government and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee having finally begun earlier this month, “you now have an opportunity to make this [pledge] a reality”, Mr Waldron added.

Read the letter in full.