After "reaching out" to policing minister Nick Hurd, the association has arranged a meeting with him "soon", NPA head of parliamentary affairs Chris Ford told C+D.

The NPA will also be "working closely" with the department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to "reaffirm the commercial and community value of pharmacy".

Mr Ford said the NPA wrote to the government “shortly after the election” to press for “immediate action” on the long-delayed legal defence from criminal prosecution for inadvertent dispensing errors.

The NPA has already "reached" out to recently appointed pharmacy minister Steve Brine, and health secretary Jeremy Hunt, for a meeting "very soon", he said.

“It is safe to say that our relationship with the Department of Health (DH) is top priority for our members.”

“In the immediate aftermath of the election, we’re busy linking up local pharmacies with their newly elected MPs,” he added.

The DH's head of pharmacy revealed last week that inadvertent dispensing errors will not be decriminalised until Northern Ireland has a functioning devolved government.

“Ambitious plans”

Mr Ford also revealed more of the NPA’s strategy, which include “ambitious plans” for this year's political party conferences, a number of reports jointly authored by Westminster think-tanks, and a parliamentary action day.