Community Pharmacy England (CPE) chief executive Janet Morrison has “indicated” to local pharmaceutical committee (LPC) leaders that “a one-year deal is expected” for the next funding deal, the negotiator last week (December 5) revealed.
Speaking at the annual conference of LPC representatives last month, CPE said Morrison acknowledged that “the sector felt stung by the previous multi-year settlement”, arguing that a one-year deal “seems prudent given the need to continue to influence 10-year plan developments”.
Read more: Contract negotiations delayed amid government ‘conflict’
According to CPE, the conference also discussed the “future commissioning of [a] community pharmacy prescribing service” with attendees showing “strong support” for a nationally commissioned service.
It highlighted that delegates were “concerned about the affordability” of the service “from within the community pharmacy contractual framework (CPCF)”, adding that 99% voted that funding “should not be from the existing global sum but from new investment”.
“Financial fragility”
Also speaking at the conference, NHS England (NHSE) national director for primary care and community services Dr Amanda Doyle said that pharmacist prescribing could be a potential “game-changer”.
But she stressed that “pharmacy needs a voice at the table locally”, arguing that “without that, we’ll miss a trick”.
Read more: Morrison: Risk services must be ‘stripped out’ if funding short
Doyle urged LPCs to “facilitate representation in planning discussions and GP-pharmacy collaboration” but said that pharmacists must be “embedded in neighbourhood health teams without stripping talent from community settings”.
And she recognised the “financial fragility” of the sector, noting that NHSE “acknowledges the issue and is committed to supporting the sector”.
“Sobering discussions”
It comes as Morrison reiterated in a blog post earlier this month (December 1) that community pharmacy, along with the rest of the NHS, faces “some hard choices ahead”.
“Sobering discussions” with pharmacy minister Stephen Kinnock made clear that there is “insufficient funding available across the board”, she said.
But Morrison noted that Kinnock “understood” the “implications” of the sector’s funding gap and the “fragility of the network”, along with the “case for investment in clinical services”.
Read more: CPE warns of ‘gloomy outlook’ for next pharmacy contract
Morrison last month told delegates at Sigma’s annual UK conference that there continues to be a “delay” to pharmacy contract negotiations as there is “still wrangling going on” between the Department of Health and Social Care (DH) and the Treasury.
And she spoke to C+D about whether a one-year or multi-year deal is better in an exclusive video interview at the Pharmacy Show in October.
