In the letter, sent by post and email to Mr Brine's office today (July 19), Mr Waldron urges the minister to "make his mark" by "pushing for a funding framework" for pharmacy that is "fair, realistic and sustainable".

Mr Waldron also calls on Mr Brine to "throw his weight" behind the decriminalisation of inadvertent dispensing errors – which is suffering ongoing setbacks – and for the Conservative Party to make good on its election pledge to "ensure community pharmacies can play a stronger role to keep people healthy outside hospital".

"To ensure that this is not seen as an empty campaign promise, I urge you to meet with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, the National Pharmacy Association, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and – most importantly – grassroots pharmacists to make this pledge a reality," says Mr Waldron.

"Pharmacy is a sector of healthcare professionals unsurpassed in their dedication to patient care," he adds. "But it is also a sector that feels severely undermined by its own government – and is in sore need of reassurance and support."

Mr Brine – who is MP for Winchester and Chandler’s Ford – replaced David Mowat as pharmacy minister, after the latter lost his seat in June’s general election.

You can read a full copy of Mr Waldron's letter here.