Matt Hancock exclusively told C+D at the Conservative party conference last week (October 2) that he wants to “move towards the French model for pharmacies, where they do more”.

Asked to shed more light on Mr Hancock’s comments, the Department of Health and Social Care (DH) told C+D that pharmacy services on the continent offer a wider range of services to members of the community.

The DH is keen to see local pharmacies play a stronger role in the community, it said.

Pharmacies are integral to the DH’s plan for a fully integrated health service and are well placed to play an enhanced role in helping people stay well, it added.

Pharmacies “absolutely vital to community health”

At the Conservative party conference, Mr Hancock also told C+D that pharmacies are “absolutely vital to community health”.

“Pharmacy is incredibly important in the whole prevention agenda,” he added.

“I didn’t have enough time on the platform, because if I had one more minute I would have spent one more minute talking about the importance of pharmacies.”

In his speech, Mr Hancock called for “more treatment closer to home” and cemented his plans for “bringing new technology across the health and care system”.