Ms May said she recognises “the value of community pharmacies”, when asked by Ian Paisley – Democratic Unionist Party MP for North Antrim – in parliament last week (June 20) about “what she is able to do for community pharmacists across Ulster today” in the face of a funding “shortfall of more than £20 million”.

Ms May said the government “will continue to do what we can in the absence of [a functioning devolved government], to protect the delivery of vital public services”.

“The funding gap must be resolved”

Community Pharmacy Northern Ireland (CPNI) told C+D yesterday (June 28) that Ms May had promised it a meeting with Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Karen Bradley, which it “hopes...will take place within the next 10 days”.

“There is now a need for a swift resolution to address the £20m funding gap, and we will be pressing the secretary of state and Prime Minister to take action in the absence of a functioning assembly before it’s too late.”

CPNI claimed last month that 81% of pharmacist respondents to a survey it conducted feel the “current funding situation is having an impact on their own health and wellbeing”.